3D printing of polymer matrix composites

Low-melting or liquid-state polymer materials are widely used in the 3D printing industry due to their low weight, low cost and processing flexibility. But, despite the advantage of being able to print objects of very high geometric complexity, the scope of 3D printing is limited by the lack of mechanical strength and functionality of objects made with this class of materials. Combining different materials to obtain the desired mechanical and functional properties is a promising way of overcoming these problems. In recent years, the development of printer-compatible composite materials has attracted considerable attention. Many encouraging results have been achieved in the development of new printable composite materials reinforced with particles, fibers or nanomaterials. These results are discussed in more detail below.