Abstract representation of layered material with glowing stress lines.

Smarter Sticking: How New Material Tech Enhances Multilayer Performance

Avery Sinclair in Tech & Innovation December 2025 • 5 min read.

"Spatial Tailoring of Adherends Boosts Strength in Additive Manufacturing"

In the world of materials science, creating structures with enhanced strength and durability often involves layering different materials. Multilayer materials are used in everything from aerospace components to electronic devices, and the key to their performance lies in how well these layers bond together. Traditionally, improving these bonds has focused on the adhesive layer itself, but a groundbreaking approach is shifting the focus to the layers being joined, known as adherends.

A recent study published in Scientific Reports explores a novel method: spatially tailoring the compliance and morphology of adherends using multimaterial jetting additive manufacturing (AM). This innovative technique allows for precise control over the material properties of the adherends, leading to significant improvements in the strength and performance of multilayer structures. Unlike previous methods that concentrate on modifying the bond layer, this research investigates how altering the adherends themselves can reduce stress concentrations and enhance overall durability.

This article dives into the details of this exciting research, explaining how multimaterial jetting AM enables the creation of customized adherends and examining the impact of this spatial tailoring on the mechanical performance of multilayer materials. We'll explore the methods used, the results achieved, and the potential applications of this technology in various industries.

The Science of Stronger Layers: Tailoring Adherends with Additive Manufacturing

Abstract representation of layered material with glowing stress lines.

The central idea behind this research is that stress concentrations within the adhesive or bond layer often lead to the failure of multilayer structures. These stresses are most prominent near the edges of the adherends, where material properties abruptly change. While previous approaches have focused on optimizing the adhesive layer to distribute these stresses, this study investigates an alternative: modifying the adherends themselves to reduce stress buildup from the start.

Multimaterial jetting additive manufacturing (AM) makes this possible. This advanced 3D printing technique allows researchers to deposit and combine different materials with high precision, creating adherends with spatially varying properties. Think of it as creating a gradient of material stiffness within the adherend, rather than a sudden transition. This gradient is achieved by carefully controlling the composition of the adherend material during the printing process, using a combination of rigid and flexible polymers.

Compliance Tailoring: Adjusting the flexibility or stiffness of the adherend material in specific areas.
Morphology Tailoring: Modifying the physical structure or shape of the adherend to optimize stress distribution.
Anisotropic Design: Creating materials with different properties depending on the direction of applied force.
Layered/Sandwich Structures: Combining different materials in a layered arrangement to achieve specific mechanical properties.

The researchers used numerical models to simulate the behavior of these tailored adherends under stress. These models revealed that adherend tailoring, particularly by reducing peel stress (the stress that pulls the layers apart), could significantly improve the performance of multilayer structures. The models also highlighted the importance of considering the bending stiffness of the adherends, which can influence stress distribution within the bond layer. In simpler terms, this method works by creating a more uniform distribution of stress across the entire joint, reducing the likelihood of failure at any single point.

Stronger Materials, Brighter Future: The Implications of Adherend Tailoring

The experimental results of this study confirmed the effectiveness of adherend tailoring. Multilayer samples created with tailored adherends exhibited significantly improved strength, toughness, and strain-to-break compared to baseline samples. Specifically, strength increased by 20%, toughness by 48%, and strain-to-break by 18%, while maintaining the stiffness of the multilayer structure. These findings demonstrate the potential of this approach to create stronger and more durable materials for a wide range of applications.

While this study focused on sub-critical bondlengths, the researchers also suggest the benefits of adherend tailoring could be even more pronounced in systems with longer, critical bondlengths. Further research will likely explore this avenue, potentially unlocking even greater performance enhancements.

This research opens up new possibilities for designing and manufacturing high-performance multilayer materials. By focusing on the properties of the adherends and leveraging the capabilities of additive manufacturing, engineers can create structures with optimized stress distribution and enhanced durability. This technology could find applications in aerospace, automotive, electronics, and various other industries where strong and reliable bonding is critical. As additive manufacturing continues to advance, we can expect even more innovative approaches to material design and fabrication, paving the way for a future of stronger, lighter, and more durable products.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.1038/s41598-018-31819-2, Alternate LINK

Title: Strength And Performance Enhancement Of Multilayers By Spatial Tailoring Of Adherend Compliance And Morphology Via Multimaterial Jetting Additive Manufacturing

Subject: Multidisciplinary

Journal: Scientific Reports

Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Authors: Jabir Ubaid, Brian L. Wardle, S. Kumar

Published: 2018-09-11

Everything You Need To Know

What are multilayer materials and why are they important?

Multilayer materials are structures composed of multiple layers of different materials, crucial in various applications such as aerospace components and electronic devices. The effectiveness of these materials depends on the strength of the bonds between layers. This concept is central to the study of material science as it directly impacts durability and performance.

What does spatially tailoring of adherends mean, and how is it done?

Spatially tailoring of adherends involves using multimaterial jetting additive manufacturing (AM) to precisely control the material properties of the adherends. Instead of focusing on the adhesive layer, this method modifies the adherends themselves. This is done by creating a gradient of material stiffness within the adherend, using rigid and flexible polymers, to reduce stress concentrations. The implications include enhanced multilayer strength, better stress distribution, and the creation of more durable materials.

How does the article suggest improving the strength of multilayer materials?

The key to improving the strength of multilayer materials lies in modifying the adherends, not just the adhesive layer. By using techniques like multimaterial jetting additive manufacturing (AM), the compliance and morphology of the adherends are tailored. Compliance tailoring adjusts the flexibility or stiffness, morphology tailoring modifies the physical structure, and anisotropic design creates materials with direction-dependent properties. This approach reduces stress concentrations, leading to stronger and more durable bonds, which is a significant improvement over traditional methods.

What is multimaterial jetting additive manufacturing (AM), and how is it used?

Multimaterial jetting additive manufacturing (AM) is an advanced 3D printing technique that allows for the precise deposition and combination of different materials. This is used to create adherends with spatially varying properties. By carefully controlling the composition during the printing process, a gradient of material properties can be achieved, which is impossible with traditional manufacturing. This level of control is critical for tailoring adherends to reduce stress and enhance the overall performance of multilayer structures.

What are the benefits of using adherend tailoring in multilayer materials?

Adherend tailoring results in a significant improvement in the performance of multilayer structures. Experimental results showed that tailoring improved strength by 20%, toughness by 48%, and strain-to-break by 18%. These improvements highlight the potential of this method for creating stronger and more durable materials. These enhancements mean that the resulting materials can withstand greater stress and strain before failure, leading to longer lifespans and wider applications across industries. For example, imagine that you can improve the strength of an airplane wing, the wing becomes more resilient and safer.