3D Printing of Magnetic Soft Materials for Functional Structures and Devices

Magnetic soft materials (MSMs) have garnered widespread attention due to their advantages in wireless control, rapid response, and programmable anisotropy. Magnetically programmed MSM structures and devices have found extensive applications in fields such as miniature robots, biomedical engineering, and flexible electronics. However, their further development faces significant challenges in manufacturing, especially the need to create complex three-dimensional (3D) structures with full degrees of freedom (DoFs) magnetic programming. Traditional manufacturing approaches and 3D printing followed by post-magnetic programming face multistep workflows, limited programming freedom, and restricted filler selection. Magnetic field-assisted 3D printing (MF3DP) addresses these limitations by coupling fabrication with in situ magnetic programming, enabling the direct manufacturing of MSM structures with programmable magnetic fillers orientations. In this paper, we first introduce magnetic materials, matrix materials, and their composites, focusing on their fundamental properties and response mechanisms. Then, we review traditional manufacturing approaches and 3D printing, followed by post-magnetic programming. Next, we systematically review MF3DP technologies, providing a comprehensive discussion of magnetic field sources, field integration strategies, magnetic programming mechanisms, programming capabilities, and overall manufacturing performance. Finally, we discuss the current challenges and prospects of 3D printing of MSMs.