SBIR Phase II: Durable High-Performance Polymers for Consumer 3D Printing of Engineering-Grade Products

The broader/commercial impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project lies in the development of a novel high-performance polymer material and manufacturing process that enables reliable, decentralized production of components for critical industries using compact additive manufacturing (3D printing) systems. The project addresses a growing need across aerospace, defense, industrial, medical, electronics, and semiconductor sectors for materials that combine low contamination risk, resistance to changes in temperature, and mechanical strength, capabilities that are typically available only through metals or costly industrial polymers requiring specialized equipment. By enabling metal replacement and rapid fabrication in cleanroom, field-deployed, or resource-constrained situations, the technology has the potential to reduce supply-chain risk, shorten lead times, lower manufacturing energy and cost, and improve system reliability while reinforcing U.S. leadership in advanced manufacturing. In addition to commercial impact, the project advances scientific understanding of how polymer chemistry, temperature exposure, and processing conditions interact to control performance in 3D printed materials. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project focuses on overcoming the longstanding limitation of poor interlayer bonding in additively manufactured high-performance polymers. The research objectives are to develop a novel polymer formulation and processing strategy that enables strong bonding between printed layers while preserving desirable properties such as flame resistance, chemical stability, and high-temperature performance. The project will investigate the relationships between material composition, extrusion conditions, thermal and shear history, and the resulting mechanical behavior. Experimental studies will be combined with modeling to guide optimization of printing parameters and post-processing workflows that are compatible with commercially available desktop systems. Anticipated outcomes include validated printing profiles, scalable processing guidelines, and additively manufactured parts with substantially improved structural reliability. These results will advance the fundamental science of structure–property relationships in additively manufactured polymers while enabling practical deployment in demanding applications. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.