Research on Self-Healing and Biodegradable 3D Printing Materials Reveals New Perspectives

A joint research team from Guangxi University and Central South University has published a comprehensive review of the current state of self-healing and biodegradable materials in 3D printing. The study explores how these materials can be used to produce more durable, safer, and sustainable additively manufactured components. The article, published in the journal Frontiers of Mechanical Engineering, is titled “3D-printed self-healing, biodegradable materials and their applications.”

Additive manufacturing is considered a key technology for creating highly complex structures and customized applications. However, 3D-printed components often remain susceptible to microcracks and structural defects that shorten their lifespan. This is where self-healing polymers come into play: through reversible chemical bonds or physical interactions, damaged regions can partially restore their original structure. The research team discusses materials based on dynamic covalent bonds such as imine or disulfide bonds, as well as non-covalent interactions like hydrogen bonding or metal coordination. These mechanisms are expected to become compatible with common printing methods such as fused deposition modeling (FDM) or stereolithography.

In addition to materials research, the study highlights practical applications. In biomedicine, such printing materials could be used for tissue regeneration or controlled drug delivery. Other potential uses include flexible sensors, wearable electronics, and self-healing energy storage devices such as batteries or supercapacitors. Soft robotics systems, which operate under constant mechanical stress, could also greatly benefit from these advances.

At the same time, the researchers point out ongoing challenges. The currently limited mechanical stability of self-healing materials and the effects of biodegradation on printing precision remain key obstacles. Looking ahead, the authors see potential in combining these materials with smart substances to enable so-called 4D printing—where materials actively respond to external stimuli. The research underscores how additive manufacturing is increasingly becoming part of sustainable materials development.