Additive manufacturing of carbon fiber-reinforced thermoset composites via in-situ thermal curing

Carter F. Dojan, Morteza Ziaee, Alireza Masoumipour, Samuel J. Radosevich and Mostafa Yourdkhani ()
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Carter F. Dojan: Colorado State University
Morteza Ziaee: Colorado State University
Alireza Masoumipour: Colorado State University
Samuel J. Radosevich: Colorado State University
Mostafa Yourdkhani: Colorado State University

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: Abstract Fiber-reinforced polymer composites are lightweight structural materials widely used in the transportation and energy industries. Current approaches for the manufacture of composites require expensive tooling and long, energy-intensive processing, resulting in a high cost of manufacturing, limited design complexity, and low fabrication rates. Here, we report rapid, scalable, and energy-efficient additive manufacturing of fiber-reinforced thermoset composites, while eliminating the need for tooling or molds. Use of a thermoresponsive thermoset resin as the matrix of composites and localized, remote heating of carbon fiber reinforcements via photothermal conversion enables rapid, in-situ curing of composites without further post-processing. Rapid curing and phase transformation of the matrix thermoset, from a liquid or viscous resin to a rigid polymer, immediately upon deposition by a robotic platform, allows for the high-fidelity, freeform manufacturing of discontinuous and continuous fiber-reinforced composites without using sacrificial support materials. This method is applicable to a variety of industries and will enable rapid and scalable manufacture of composite parts and tooling as well as on-demand repair of composite structures.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-59848-2

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