Current advances and future perspectives of 3D printing natural-derived biopolymers

• Published in: Carbohydrate polymers Vol. 207; pp. 297 - 316
• Main Authors: Liu, Jun, Sun, Lushan, Xu, Wenyang, Wang, Qianqian, Yu, Sujie, Sun, Jianzhong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.03.2019
• Subjects: 3D printing; Additive manufacturing; algae; Animals; biobased products; Biomass; Biomedical application; Biopolymers; Biopolymers - chemistry; cellulose; Chondrocytes; feedstocks; guidelines; hemicellulose; Humans; lignin; Lignin - chemistry; lignocellulose; mechanical properties; Polysaccharides - chemistry; Printing, Three-Dimensional - instrumentation; starch; Tissue Engineering - methods; Additive manufacturing; Biomass; Biopolymers; 3D printing; Biomedical application
• ISSN: 0144-8617; 1879-1344; 1879-1344
• DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2018.11.077

•3D printing technology using biopolymers as feedstocks was reviewed.•Lignocellulosic biopolymers for 3D printing application was highlighted.•Strategical development roadmap of biopolymers 3D printing was proposed.•Key challenges and future perspectives of 3D printing biopolymers were identified. 3D printing enables the complex or customized structures production in high speed and resolution. However, the lack of bio-based materials with user-defined biochemical and mechanical property is a significant barrier that limits the widespread adoption of 3D printing for products fabrication. Development of eco-friendly natural-derived biopolymers for 3D printing technologies and their promising application in different areas are of huge academic, and environmental interests. This paper reviews the state-of-the-art in terms of 3D printing technology using natural-derived feedstocks, including lignocellulose, starch, algae, and chitosan-based biopolymers. Special consideration is given to the development of lignocellulosic materials, i.e. cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, and their derivatives as 3D printing feedstocks. A strategical development roadmap with identified material property requirements, key challenges, as well as possible solutions was proposed. It serves as guideline aiming to explore natural-derived biopolymers as novel feedstocks for different 3D printing technologies that will be potentially applied in various areas.