3D printing of smart materials: A review on recent progresses in 4D printing
Top Cited Papers
- 3 July 2015
- journal article
- review article
- Published by Taylor & Francis Ltd in Virtual and Physical Prototyping
- Vol. 10 (3), 103-122
- https://doi.org/10.1080/17452759.2015.1097054
Abstract
Additive manufacturing (AM), commonly known as three-dimensional (3D) printing or rapid prototyping, has been introduced since the late 1980s. Although a considerable amount of progress has been made in this field, there is still a lot of research work to be done in order to overcome the various challenges remained. Recently, one of the actively researched areas lies in the additive manufacturing of smart materials and structures. Smart materials are those materials that have the ability to change their shape or properties under the influence of external stimuli. With the introduction of smart materials, the AM-fabricated components are able to alter their shape or properties over time (the 4th dimension) as a response to the applied external stimuli. Hence, this gives rise to a new term called ‘4D printing’ to include the structural reconfiguration over time. In this paper, recent major progresses in 4D printing are reviewed, including 3D printing of enhanced smart nanocomposites, shape memory alloys, shape memory polymers, actuators for soft robotics, self-evolving structures, anti-counterfeiting system, active origami and controlled sequential folding, and some results from our ongoing research. In addition, some research activities on 4D bio-printing are included, followed by discussions on the challenges, applications, research directions and future trends of 4D printing.Keywords
Funding Information
- Nanyang Technological University (Tier 1 Project)
This publication has 47 references indexed in Scilit:
- Manufacturing and processing of NiTi implants: A reviewProgress in Materials Science, 2012
- Direct Selective Laser Melting of Nitinol PowderPhysics Procedia, 2012
- Structural and functional properties of NiTi shape memory alloys produced by Selective Laser MeltingPublished by Taylor & Francis Ltd ,2011
- Smart structures: Part I—Active and semi-active controlScientia Iranica, 2011
- A review on stereolithography and its applications in biomedical engineeringBiomaterials, 2010
- Influence of Ni on martensitic phase transformations in NiTi shape memory alloysActa Materialia, 2010
- Processing and Fabrication TechniquesPublished by SPIE-Intl Soc Optical Eng ,2010
- Effect of precipitation on two-way shape memory effect of melt-spun Ti50Ni25Cu25 ribbonMaterials Chemistry and Physics, 2010
- Machining of NiTi based shape memory alloysMaterials Science and Engineering: A, 2004
- Two-way shape memory effect developed by martensite deformation in NiTiActa Materialia, 1998