Research Progress of 3D Printing Polymer Nanocomposites
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Research Progress of 3D Printing Polymer Nanocomposites

Boyu Tang 1*
1 Suzhou University of Science and Technology
*Corresponding author: TBYsot.com@outlook.com
Published on 28 October 2025
Journal Cover
ACE Vol.200
ISSN (Print): 2755-273X
ISSN (Online): 2755-2721
ISBN (Print): 978-1-80590-491-5
ISBN (Online): 978-1-80590-492-2
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Abstract

3D printing technology shows great potential in aerospace, biomedicine, electronic devices, and other fields because of its advantages of digital manufacturing, no mold and molding complex geometry. However, traditional 3D printing polymer materials generally have bottlenecks such as low strength, weak interlayer bonding, and a single function. The introduction of nano materials (such as cellulose nanocrystalline (CNC), carbon nanotube (CNT)) provides an effective way to break through these limitations and broaden the application fields. In this paper, the advantages and application methods of nano reinforcement CNC and CNT are systematically described, as well as the latest research progress of polymer nanocomposites reinforced by CNC and CNT in mainstream 3D printing technologies such as fused deposition molding (FDM), selective laser sintering (SLS), light curing molding (SLA/DLP) and solvent casting molding (SC-3DP). Through the data comparison, it is proven that it has better performance and wider application than traditional printing, and the improvement mechanism of nano materials on the printing process, mechanical properties, and functional properties (conductivity, thermal conductivity, piezoelectric, etc.) of composite materials is analyzed. At the same time, it also summarizes the main challenges faced by 3D printing polymer nanocomposites and the expansion of application fields, and looks forward to the development direction of high-precision, multifunctional, and industrialized.

Keywords:

3D printing, Polymer nanocomposites, Cellulose nanocrystals, Carbon nanotubes, Functionalization, Additive manufacturing

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Tang,B. (2025). Research Progress of 3D Printing Polymer Nanocomposites. Applied and Computational Engineering,200,41-49.

References

[1]. Ligon, S. C., Liska, R., Stampfl, J., et al. (2017). Polymers for 3D printing and customized additive manufacturing. Chemical Reviews, 117(15), 10212–10290.

[2]. Gibson, I., Rosen, D., & Stucker, B. (2015). Additive manufacturing technologies: 3D printing, rapid prototyping, and direct digital manufacturing (2nd ed., pp. 1–20). New York, NY: Springer.

[3]. Yang, Z. Z., Kong, Z. W., Wu, G. M., et al. (2021). Research progress on 3D-printed polymer nanocomposites. Materials Reports, 35(13), 13177–13185.

[4]. Farahani, R. D., Dubé, M., & Therriault, D. (2016). Three-dimensional printing of multifunctional nanocomposites: Manufacturing techniques and applications. Advanced Materials, 28(28), 5794–5821.

[5]. Habibi, Y., Lucia, L. A., & Rojas, O. J. (2010). Cellulose nanocrystals: Chemistry, self-assembly, and applications. Chemical Reviews, 110(6), 3479–3500. https: //doi.org/10.1021/cr900339w

[6]. Saini, S., Belgacem, M. N., & Bras, J. (2017). Surface modification of cellulose nanofibers for enhanced interfacial adhesion in polymer nanocomposites. Materials Science and Engineering: C, 75, 760–768. https: //doi.org/10.1016/j.msec.2017.02.092

[7]. Braun, B., & Dorgan, J. R. (2009). Single-step method for the isolation and surface functionalization of cellulosic nanowhiskers. Biomacromolecules, 10(2), 334–341.

[8]. Roy, D., Semsarilar, M., Guthrie, J. T., et al. (2009). Chemical modification of cellulose by in situ reactive compatibilization. Chemical Society Reviews, 38(7), 2046–2064.

[9]. Habibi, Y. (2014). Chemical Society Reviews, 43(5), 1519.

[10]. Li, Z. C., Gan, X. P., Fei, G. X., et al. (2017). Selective laser sintering 3D printing: A way to construct 3D electrically conductive segregated network in polymer matrix. Macromolecular Materials and Engineering, 302(11), 1700211.

[11]. Zhang, Z. Y., Chen, Y. H., Qi, F. W., et al. (2017). Preparation of Nylon 12/Carbon nanotubes co-powders through solid state shear milling and their selective laser sintering 3D printing. Polymer Materials Science and Engineering, 33(3), 122–127.

[12]. Chen, Y., Xia, H. S., Zhang, J., et al. (2017). Polymer-based carbon nano-functional composites processing 3D printing research. Polymer Bulletin, (10), 85–88. https: //doi.org/10.1007/s00289-017-2065-2

[13]. Stansbury, J. W., & Idacavage, M. J. (2016). Dental Materials, 32(1), 54. https: //doi.org/10.1016/j.dental.2015.11.008

[14]. Dul, S., Fambri, L., & Pegoretti, A. (2018). Filaments production and fused deposition modelling of ABS/carbon nanotubes composites. Nanomaterials, 8(1), 49.

[15]. Xu, S., Girouard, N., Schueneman, G., et al. (2013). Mechanical and thermal properties of waterborne epoxy composites containing cellulose nanocrystals. Polymer, 54(24), 6589–6598. https: //doi.org/10.1016/j.polymer.2013.09.038

[16]. Dorigato, A., Moretti, V., Dul, S., et al. (2017). Electrically conductive nanocomposites for fused deposition modelling. Synthetic Metals, 226, 7–14. https: //doi.org/10.1016/j.synthmet.2017.05.012

[17]. Gnanasekaran, K., Heijmans, T., Van Bennekom, S., et al. (2017). 3D printing of CNT- and graphene-based conductive polymer nanocomposites by fused deposition modeling. Applied Materials Today, 9, 21–28. https: //doi.org/10.1016/j.apmt.2017.08.002

[18]. Chizari, K., Daoud, M. A., Ravindran, A. R., et al. (2016). 3D printing of highly conductive nanocomposites for the functional optimization of liquid sensors. Small, 12(44), 6076–6082. https: //doi.org/10.1002/smll.201602262

[19]. Yuans, Zheng, & Ychua, C. K., et al. (2018). Electrical and thermal conductivities of MWCNT/polymer composites fabricated by selective laser sintering. Composites Part A, 105, 203–213. https: //doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesa.2017.12.009

[20]. Li, Z. C., Wang, Z. H., Gan, X. P., et al. (2018). Flexible TPU/MWCNTs strain sensor with ultrahigh sensitivity and tunable strain range prepared by selective laser sintering. Macromolecular Materials and Engineering, 303(6), 1700371. https: //doi.org/10.1002/mame.201700371

[21]. Zhang, Y., Fang, J. H., Li, J., et al. (2017). The effect of carbon nanotubes on the mechanical properties of wood plastic composites by selective laser sintering. Polymers, 9(12), 728. https: //doi.org/10.3390/polym9120728

[22]. Feng, X., Yang, Z., Chmely, S., et al. (2017). Carbohydrate Polymers, 169, 272. https: //doi.org/10.1016/j.carbpol.2017.05.053

[23]. Eng, H., Maleks Aedi, S., Yu, S., et al. (2017). Development of CNT-filled photopolymer for projection stereolithography. Rapid Prototyping Journal, 23(1), 129–136. https: //doi.org/10.1108/RPJ-04-2016-0050

[24]. Sandoval, J. H., Soto, K. F., Murr, L. E., et al. (2007). Nanotailoring photopolymerizable epoxy resins with multi-walled carbon nanotubes for stereolithography layered manufacturing. Journal of Materials Science, 42(1), 156–165. https: //doi.org/10.1007/s10853-006-0191-3

[25]. Mu, Q. Q., Wang, L., Dunn, C. K., et al. (2017). Digital light processing 3D printing of conductive complex structures. Additive Manufacturing, 18, 74–83. https: //doi.org/10.1016/j.addma.2017.10.002

[26]. Lee, S. J., Zhu, W. P., Nowicki, M., et al. (2018). 3D printing nano conductive multi-walled carbon nanotube scaffolds for nerve regeneration. Journal of Neural Engineering, 15(1), 016018. https: //doi.org/10.1088/1741-2552/aa9040

[27]. Chizari, K., Arjmand, M., Liu, Z. T., et al. (2017). Three-dimensional printing of highly conductive polymer nanocomposites for EMI shielding applications. Materials Today Communications, 11, 112–118. https: //doi.org/10.1016/j.mtcomm.2017.09.002

[28]. Wu, J. T., Chen, N., Bai, F., et al. (2018). Preparation and fused deposition modeling of poly(vinyl alcohol)/poly(lactic acid)/hydroxyapatite composite filaments for tailored biomedical scaffolds. RSC Advances, 8(55), 31511–31519. https: //doi.org/10.1039/c8ra05047a

[29]. Chuang, K. C., Grady, J. E., Draper, R. D., et al. (2015). Additive manufacturing and characterization of Ultem polymers and composites. In Proceedings of the Composites and Advanced Materials Expo (pp. 1–7). USA.

References

[1]. Ligon, S. C., Liska, R., Stampfl, J., et al. (2017). Polymers for 3D printing and customized additive manufacturing. Chemical Reviews, 117(15), 10212–10290.

[2]. Gibson, I., Rosen, D., & Stucker, B. (2015). Additive manufacturing technologies: 3D printing, rapid prototyping, and direct digital manufacturing (2nd ed., pp. 1–20). New York, NY: Springer.

[3]. Yang, Z. Z., Kong, Z. W., Wu, G. M., et al. (2021). Research progress on 3D-printed polymer nanocomposites. Materials Reports, 35(13), 13177–13185.

[4]. Farahani, R. D., Dubé, M., & Therriault, D. (2016). Three-dimensional printing of multifunctional nanocomposites: Manufacturing techniques and applications. Advanced Materials, 28(28), 5794–5821.

[5]. Habibi, Y., Lucia, L. A., & Rojas, O. J. (2010). Cellulose nanocrystals: Chemistry, self-assembly, and applications. Chemical Reviews, 110(6), 3479–3500. https: //doi.org/10.1021/cr900339w

[6]. Saini, S., Belgacem, M. N., & Bras, J. (2017). Surface modification of cellulose nanofibers for enhanced interfacial adhesion in polymer nanocomposites. Materials Science and Engineering: C, 75, 760–768. https: //doi.org/10.1016/j.msec.2017.02.092

[7]. Braun, B., & Dorgan, J. R. (2009). Single-step method for the isolation and surface functionalization of cellulosic nanowhiskers. Biomacromolecules, 10(2), 334–341.

[8]. Roy, D., Semsarilar, M., Guthrie, J. T., et al. (2009). Chemical modification of cellulose by in situ reactive compatibilization. Chemical Society Reviews, 38(7), 2046–2064.

[9]. Habibi, Y. (2014). Chemical Society Reviews, 43(5), 1519.

[10]. Li, Z. C., Gan, X. P., Fei, G. X., et al. (2017). Selective laser sintering 3D printing: A way to construct 3D electrically conductive segregated network in polymer matrix. Macromolecular Materials and Engineering, 302(11), 1700211.

[11]. Zhang, Z. Y., Chen, Y. H., Qi, F. W., et al. (2017). Preparation of Nylon 12/Carbon nanotubes co-powders through solid state shear milling and their selective laser sintering 3D printing. Polymer Materials Science and Engineering, 33(3), 122–127.

[12]. Chen, Y., Xia, H. S., Zhang, J., et al. (2017). Polymer-based carbon nano-functional composites processing 3D printing research. Polymer Bulletin, (10), 85–88. https: //doi.org/10.1007/s00289-017-2065-2

[13]. Stansbury, J. W., & Idacavage, M. J. (2016). Dental Materials, 32(1), 54. https: //doi.org/10.1016/j.dental.2015.11.008

[14]. Dul, S., Fambri, L., & Pegoretti, A. (2018). Filaments production and fused deposition modelling of ABS/carbon nanotubes composites. Nanomaterials, 8(1), 49.

[15]. Xu, S., Girouard, N., Schueneman, G., et al. (2013). Mechanical and thermal properties of waterborne epoxy composites containing cellulose nanocrystals. Polymer, 54(24), 6589–6598. https: //doi.org/10.1016/j.polymer.2013.09.038

[16]. Dorigato, A., Moretti, V., Dul, S., et al. (2017). Electrically conductive nanocomposites for fused deposition modelling. Synthetic Metals, 226, 7–14. https: //doi.org/10.1016/j.synthmet.2017.05.012

[17]. Gnanasekaran, K., Heijmans, T., Van Bennekom, S., et al. (2017). 3D printing of CNT- and graphene-based conductive polymer nanocomposites by fused deposition modeling. Applied Materials Today, 9, 21–28. https: //doi.org/10.1016/j.apmt.2017.08.002

[18]. Chizari, K., Daoud, M. A., Ravindran, A. R., et al. (2016). 3D printing of highly conductive nanocomposites for the functional optimization of liquid sensors. Small, 12(44), 6076–6082. https: //doi.org/10.1002/smll.201602262

[19]. Yuans, Zheng, & Ychua, C. K., et al. (2018). Electrical and thermal conductivities of MWCNT/polymer composites fabricated by selective laser sintering. Composites Part A, 105, 203–213. https: //doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesa.2017.12.009

[20]. Li, Z. C., Wang, Z. H., Gan, X. P., et al. (2018). Flexible TPU/MWCNTs strain sensor with ultrahigh sensitivity and tunable strain range prepared by selective laser sintering. Macromolecular Materials and Engineering, 303(6), 1700371. https: //doi.org/10.1002/mame.201700371

[21]. Zhang, Y., Fang, J. H., Li, J., et al. (2017). The effect of carbon nanotubes on the mechanical properties of wood plastic composites by selective laser sintering. Polymers, 9(12), 728. https: //doi.org/10.3390/polym9120728

[22]. Feng, X., Yang, Z., Chmely, S., et al. (2017). Carbohydrate Polymers, 169, 272. https: //doi.org/10.1016/j.carbpol.2017.05.053

[23]. Eng, H., Maleks Aedi, S., Yu, S., et al. (2017). Development of CNT-filled photopolymer for projection stereolithography. Rapid Prototyping Journal, 23(1), 129–136. https: //doi.org/10.1108/RPJ-04-2016-0050

[24]. Sandoval, J. H., Soto, K. F., Murr, L. E., et al. (2007). Nanotailoring photopolymerizable epoxy resins with multi-walled carbon nanotubes for stereolithography layered manufacturing. Journal of Materials Science, 42(1), 156–165. https: //doi.org/10.1007/s10853-006-0191-3

[25]. Mu, Q. Q., Wang, L., Dunn, C. K., et al. (2017). Digital light processing 3D printing of conductive complex structures. Additive Manufacturing, 18, 74–83. https: //doi.org/10.1016/j.addma.2017.10.002

[26]. Lee, S. J., Zhu, W. P., Nowicki, M., et al. (2018). 3D printing nano conductive multi-walled carbon nanotube scaffolds for nerve regeneration. Journal of Neural Engineering, 15(1), 016018. https: //doi.org/10.1088/1741-2552/aa9040

[27]. Chizari, K., Arjmand, M., Liu, Z. T., et al. (2017). Three-dimensional printing of highly conductive polymer nanocomposites for EMI shielding applications. Materials Today Communications, 11, 112–118. https: //doi.org/10.1016/j.mtcomm.2017.09.002

[28]. Wu, J. T., Chen, N., Bai, F., et al. (2018). Preparation and fused deposition modeling of poly(vinyl alcohol)/poly(lactic acid)/hydroxyapatite composite filaments for tailored biomedical scaffolds. RSC Advances, 8(55), 31511–31519. https: //doi.org/10.1039/c8ra05047a

[29]. Chuang, K. C., Grady, J. E., Draper, R. D., et al. (2015). Additive manufacturing and characterization of Ultem polymers and composites. In Proceedings of the Composites and Advanced Materials Expo (pp. 1–7). USA.

Cite this article

Tang,B. (2025). Research Progress of 3D Printing Polymer Nanocomposites. Applied and Computational Engineering,200,41-49.

Data availability

The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study will be available from the authors upon reasonable request.

About volume

Volume title: Proceedings of CONF-MCEE 2026 Symposium: Advances in Sustainable Aviation and Aerospace Vehicle Automation

ISBN: 978-1-80590-491-5(Print) / 978-1-80590-492-2(Online)
Editor: Ömer Burak İSTANBULLU
Conference website: https://2025.confmcee.org/kayseri.html
Conference date: 14 November 2025
Series: Applied and Computational Engineering
Volume number: Vol.200
ISSN: 2755-2721(Print) / 2755-273X(Online)

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