Fire Behavior of 3D-Printed Polymeric Composites

Abstract

3D printing or additive manufacturing (AM) is considered as a flexible manufacturing method with thepotential for substantial innovations in fabricating geometrically complicated structured polymers, metals,and ceramics parts. Among them, polymeric composites show versatility for applications in various fields,such as constructions, microelectronics and biomedical. However, the poor resistance of these materialsagainst fire must be considered due to their direct relation to human life conservation and safety. In thisarticle, the recent advances in the fire behavior of 3D-printed polymeric composites are reviewed. Thearticle describes the recently developed methods for improving the flame retardancy of 3D-printed poly-meric composites. Consequently, the improvements in the fire behavior of 3D-printed polymeric materialsthrough the change in formulation of the composites are discussed. The article is novel in the sense that it isone of the first studies to provide an overview regarding the flammability characteristics of 3D-printedpolymeric materials, which will further incite research interests to render AM-based materials fire-resis-tant.

3D printing or additive manufacturing (AM) is considered as a flexible manufacturing method with thepotential for substantial innovations in fabricating geometrically complicated structured polymers, metals,and ceramics parts. Among them, polymeric composites show versatility for applications in various fields,such as constructions, microelectronics and biomedical. However, the poor resistance of these materialsagainst fire must be considered due to their direct relation to human life conservation and safety. In thisarticle, the recent advances in the fire behavior of 3D-printed polymeric composites are reviewed. Thearticle describes the recently developed methods for improving the flame retardancy of 3D-printed poly-meric composites. Consequently, the improvements in the fire behavior of 3D-printed polymeric materialsthrough the change in formulation of the composites are discussed. The article is novel in the sense that it isone of the first studies to provide an overview regarding the flammability characteristics of 3D-printedpolymeric materials, which will further incite research interests to render AM-based materials fire-resis-tant.