Nano-structured Materials in Additive Manufacturing: Synthesis, Properties, and Applications

Nano-structured materials have extensive applications in electronics, defence, automotive, aerospace, space. Some of the distinct properties of nanomaterials such as excellent strength, ductility, wear resistance encourages the application in structural domain. Additive manufacturing, also interpreted as 3D printing is a cost-effective fabrication route through layer-by-layer deposition of metal. The method can produce the final product with little or no machining requirement, and the process can be tailored to achieve the bulk product with desired properties. Several nanomaterials synthesis routes used in additive manufacturing processes, major advantages and challenges of introduction of nanomaterials, properties of fabricated component and applications will be discussed in the chapter.