Development of High Performing 3D Printed Polymeric Cellular Structures for Wearable Impact Protection

This research work is an attempt to exploit the advantages offered by the 3D printing technology to design and develop polymeric energy-absorbing cellular materials for use in human wearable impact protection with a focus on the elderly fall-related hip protection. The research results can be used to carefully design and tailor energy-absorbing cellular materials with the closest behaviour to the ideal energy absorber and superior to the currently used traditional stochastic foams. Furthermore, the research shows that 3D printing allows the optimisation of energy absorption of such materials by manipulating the geometric design parameters of their microstructures.