Using nanomaterials to enhance the additive manufacturing of polymeric resins

Additive manufacturing (AM) technologies, also called 3D printing, have dramatically developed over the past decade to allow new capabilities in materials processing with printed resolution comparable to that of traditional manufacturing techniques. Sequential layer deposition can lead to the creation of complex parts with minimized material waste, high manufacturing throughput, and increased prototyping ability, while also meeting the demand for mid- and low-volume production. The AM of polymer nanocomposites is a growing area of research because nanomaterial additives can enhance the mechanical, electrical, and other properties for end-use applications. However, the use of nanomaterial inclusions can also enhance the AM processes themselves. Here, we discuss works where nanomaterials are employed as local heaters for fused deposition modeling, as viscosifiers for direct ink writing, and as photothermal sensitizers for selective laser sintering and vat polymerization. We also note the disconnect between the researched AM capabilities and current industrial manufacturing; nanomaterials can bridge the technological gap and lead to new common practices in industrial manufacturing spaces.