3D printing of solvent-free supramolecular polymers

Rupp, H.. et. al. Frontiers in Chemistry, 2021, 9, 771974, https://doi.org/10.3389/fchem.2021.771974

Additive manufacturing has significantly changed polymer science and technology by engineering complex material-shapes and compositions. With the advent of dynamic properties in polymeric materials as a fundamental principle to achieve e.g. self-healing properties, the use of supramolecular chemistry as a tool for molecular ordering has become important. By adjusting molecular, nanoscopic (supramolecular) bonds in polymers, rheological properties, immanent for 3D printing can be adjusted, resulting in shape persistence and improved printing. We here review recent progress in 3D printing of supramolecular polymers, with a focus on fused deposition modelling (FMD) to overcome some of its limitations still being present up-to-date.