Advances in hybrid fibers reinforced polymer-based composites prepared by FDM: A review on mechanical properties and prospects

Recently published research indicated that, in additive manufacturing fields, single fiber reinforcements often increased some mechanical properties of composites, but at the same time decreased other mechanical behaviors, leading to a limited application of single fiber filled composites in the industry. Therefore, 3D printed hybrid composites made from a combination of short/short fibers, short/continuous fibers, or continuous/continuous fibers have received significant attention from researchers, owing to the comprehensive performance improvements and tailored mechanical behaviors. This paper reviewed the state-of-the-art 3D printed hybrid composites and elaborated on their mechanical behaviors, application limitations, potential improvements and future perspectives. The review started with a detailed discussion of different existing hybrid composite printing methods. Then, the mechanical performance, deformation and failure behaviors of hybrid composites were discussed. Finally, this review explored the limitations of printed hybrid composites and looked forward to printing hybrid composite with improved performance.