3D Printed Silicone Lattice Combines Antifungal Protection and Vibration Isolation

Published date:12/05/2026 | Last updated date:12/05/2026

Researchers from Jiangnan University and Jiangda Vibration Isolator Co., Ltd. have developed a 3D printed silicone rubber lattice designed to resist fungal growth while maintaining strong vibration damping and long-term mechanical durability in marine environments.

The work, published in Advanced Composites and Hybrid Materials, addresses a common engineering trade-off in elastomer systems: improving antifungal performance without sacrificing flexibility and cushioning behavior.

Additive manufacturing enables controlled lattice design

The research team used additive manufacturing to precisely control both the material composition and the internal geometry of the elastomer structure.

The printable composite ink combined:

• silicone rubber
• hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) filler

The material was deposited through a custom gantry-based 3D printing system using a 250 μm nozzle.

Unlike conventional foaming methods that produce irregular pore structures, the printed lattice achieved:

• ordered filament architecture
• stable interlayer bonding
• controlled porosity and spacing

hBN improves fungal resistance

The antifungal performance was tested under ASTM G21 conditions using multiple fungal species.

Results showed a clear difference between standard silicone and hBN-filled lattices:

• hBN-free samples developed visible fungal colonies
• 5 wt% hBN samples achieved a fungal growth rating of 0
• fungal coverage remained below 0.8%

Researchers linked the improved resistance to two mechanisms:

1. increased surface hydrophobicity
2. oxidative stress at the fungus-material interface

Water contact angle increased significantly with hBN addition, making the surface more water-repellent and reducing spore penetration.

Mechanical damping performance remains strong

The lattice structure also maintained strong cushioning and vibration-isolation properties.

Compression testing showed:

• stable elastic deformation behavior
• broad stress plateau for energy absorption
• high durability under cyclic loading

After 10,000 compression cycles at 70% strain, the structure retained more than 90% of its maximum stress capacity.

Vibration testing also demonstrated strong isolation efficiency across multiple directions and environmental conditions, including:

• low temperature
• high humidity
• elevated temperature

Why the architecture matters

A major part of the study was not just the material itself, but the way lattice geometry influenced both fungal resistance and mechanical behavior.

Researchers found that:

• larger filament spacing increased fungal attachment
• lattice geometry controlled stress distribution
• architecture affected damping and stiffness simultaneously

This highlights how additive manufacturing can tune multiple functional properties through structural design rather than chemistry alone.

Potential applications

The material was developed with marine and vibration-sensitive environments in mind, including:

• shipborne equipment
• humid industrial systems
• vibration-isolated structures
• long-life elastomer supports

The combination of fungal resistance and damping performance could also interest sectors such as transportation, defense and offshore infrastructure.

🔒 Content Transparency & Editorial Integrity

This article is developed based on real engineering experience, machine testing data, and practical production knowledge from Jota Machinery’s work in advanced composite manufacturing.

All technical explanations—including material structure, processing methods, and performance characteristics—are reviewed and verified by our engineering team to ensure accuracy and real-world relevance.

To improve clarity and structure, AI-assisted tools may have been used during content organization and language refinement. However:

• All key technical insights originate from first-hand industrial experience
• All data and claims are manually reviewed and validated
• The content is created with the primary goal of educating engineers, manufacturers, and buyers

We do not publish content solely for search ranking purposes. Every article is designed to provide practical, experience-based value to professionals in the composite materials industry.

Editorial perspective

This research reflects an important direction in advanced materials engineering: multifunctional design.

Traditionally, engineers often treated:

• antifungal protection,
• vibration damping,
• and durability

as separate material problems.

This study combines them into one engineered structure through:

• filler chemistry,
• lattice architecture,
• and additive manufacturing.

For industrial elastomer systems, that integrated approach may become increasingly important as products are expected to survive harsher environments while maintaining stable mechanical performance over long service cycles.