Scientists from the University of California, Santa Barbara and University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa have evaluated the potential applications of 3D printable nanocomposites materials.

The study published in Science states, “At the intersection of the outwardly disparate fields of nanoparticle science and 3D printing lies the promise of revolutionary new ‘nanocomposite’ materials.”

“Emergent phenomena deriving from the nanoscale constituents pave the way for a new class of transformative materials with encoded functionality amplified by new couplings between electrical, optical, transport, and mechanical properties.”

The researchers note that nanoparticle synthesis, and multiscale assembly and patterning, facilitate the design of ordered nanocomposites, enabling new macroscale devices for tunable smart windows, flexible energy storage, and wearable sensors.