Current progress on the 3D printing of thermosets

3D printing has attracted increasing attention as it exhibits excellent potential in the fabrication of 3D complex structures, which are very difficult to make using conventional techniques, with low cost, less energy, and material consumption. Thermosets are integral to today’s aerospace, automotive, marine, and energy industries and will be vital to the next generation of lightweight, energy-efficient structures, owing to their excellent specific strength, thermal stability, and chemical resistance. Manufacturing with thermosets using innovative 3D printing techniques has the potential to revolutionize composite manufacturing. However, thermosets are highly crosslinked and irreversibly cured, and it is challenging to integrate the printing process with curing process at high rate and high quality. This review will address current effort and future direction in 3D printing of thermosets. Graphical abstract[Figure not available: see fulltext.]