Ceramic materials demonstrate great application potential in multiple fields such as aerospace and biomedical engineering due to their excellent mechanical properties, high-temperature resistance, and good biocompatibility, but their inherent brittleness and processing defects urgently need to be broken through. Inspired by the biological structures found in nature, the integration of biomimicry and additive manufacturing (AM) technologies offers a new pathway for the innovative design of high-performance ceramic materials. This article systematically reviews the fundamental principles and classifications of ceramic AM technology, focusing on six typical elements of biomimetic structural design: coaxial composite structures, surface reinforcement structures, layered composite structures, porous structures, composite multicomponent structures, and intelligent bionic structures. The review delves into their biomimetic principles, preparation strategies, performance advantages, and research progress. Research indicates that through multiscale topological design and functional integration, these structures can significantly enhance the mechanical properties and environmental adaptability of ceramics. Nevertheless, current technologies still face numerous challenges in balancing manufacturing precision and efficiency, controlling cracks and residual stresses caused by interface defects, ensuring long-term material stability under extreme environments, enhancing intelligent response capabilities, and guaranteeing process scalability and performance consistency in clinical applications. Future research should integrate multidisciplinary approaches to optimize structural design and dynamic response, transforming biomimetic ceramic materials from ‘biological replication’ to ‘performance exceeding’, thereby providing theoretical and technical support for the customized development of high-performance ceramic devices.

Ceramic 4D printing, which integrates dynamic deformation with additive manufacturing, demonstrates significant potential in intelligent manufacturing, on-demand shaping of complex structures, and multifunctional device development. Its core advantage lies in endowing materials with environmentally responsive dynamic deformation capabilities. However, current technologies still face limitations in responsiveness, reversibility, and mechanical performance. To address these challenges, this study proposes a programmable ceramic precursor system based on synergistic reinforcement of phase-separating hydrogels and shape memory polymers, combined with a nano-ceramic particle enhancement strategy. Using stereolithography 3D printing, high-precision fabrication of complex structures was achieved. By adjusting precursor composition, programming time, and structural thickness, the phase-separation kinetics-driven delayed recovery mechanism was elucidated, enabling precise control over recovery onset time. Furthermore, the thermal response mechanism of the precursor materials is explored, along with their potential for multi-shape transformation in biomedical applications, which is further extended to shape memory polymer systems. By employing a layered printing strategy, the autonomous reversible deformation of ceramic precursors is realized, providing new possibilities for specific applications.

Superelastic NiTi alloys produced through laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) hold great promise in advancing wear-resistant transmission devices for aerospace and related applications. However, limited research on their wear behavior and strategies for enhancing wear resistance raises concerns about their future application prospects. In this study, a straightforward yet highly effective pre-strain treatment method is introduced, resulting in a nearly twofold improvement in the wear resistance of LPBF-fabricated NiTi alloys. This method prunes microstructure characteristics, influences the martensitic transformation process that improves cyclic compression superelasticity and transforms the distribution characteristics of adhesion stress acting on the indenter during wear processes, thereby effectively enhancing wear resistance. Additionally, the present study proposes an analytical model that establishes a link between superelastic metal cyclic compression characteristics and wear behaviors, providing insight into the wear characteristics, especially for adhesive wear patterns of superelastic metals including LPBF-fabricated NiTi alloys through analysis of cyclic compression curve. This research contributes to the fundamental understanding of wear resistance mechanisms in superelastic engineering materials and opens avenues for further optimization in related applications.

High-performance 24CrNiMo steel was fabricated using Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF). Subsequent quenching treatment was applied and the influence of quenching temperatures on micro-structure evolution and properties was systematically characterised and analysed. The micro-structure of the as-built steel consisted of two parts. The first part comprised martensite with twins combined with ω-Fe nano-particles, and the second part consisted of lower bainite in the molten pool, as well as upper bainite, granular bainite and tempered martensite in the heat-affected zone. With the quenching temperatures varying from 800 °C to 950 °C, the micro-structure gradually transformed from acicular ferrite + martensite to tempered martensite +θ-Fe₃C carbides, and the grain size exhibited noticeable growth. Moreover, quenching treatments could eliminate the anisotropy and inhomogeneity of the micro-structure. The rod-shaped nanosized η-Fe₂C and θ-Fe₃C precipitates were clearly observed, which were converted from ω-Fe and distributed at multiple angles in the lath. The size and number of nano-precipitates, triggered by the high self-tempering degree of martensite, gradually increased. The relationships among grain size, the twins, dislocation density and nano-precipitation and the dramatically improved performance of quenched samples were analysed using strengthening mechanisms. After quenching at 850 °C, the as-built 24CrNiMo steel attained ultra-high mechanical properties including hardness, Ultimate Tensile Strength (UTS), Elongation (El) and impact energy with values of 480.9 HV₁, 1611.4 MPa, 9.8% and 42.8 J, respectively. Meanwhile, both the wear and thermal fatigue resistance increased by approximately 40%. This study demonstrated that LPBF-fabricated 24CrNiMo steel, with matching good performances, can be achieved using a subsequent one-step quenching process.

Over millions of years of natural evolution, organisms have developed nearly perfect structures and functions. The self-fabrication of organisms serves as a valuable source of inspiration for designing the next-generation of structural materials, and is driving the future paradigm shift of modern materials science and engineering. However, the complex structures and multifunctional integrated optimization of organisms far exceed the capability of artificial design and fabrication technology, and new manufacturing methods are urgently needed to achieve efficient reproduction of biological functions. As one of the most valuable advanced manufacturing technologies of the 21st century, laser processing technology provides an efficient solution to the critical challenges of bionic manufacturing. This review outlines the processing principles, manufacturing strategies, potential applications, challenges, and future development outlook of laser processing in bionic manufacturing domains. Three primary manufacturing strategies for laser-based bionic manufacturing are elucidated: subtractive manufacturing, equivalent manufacturing, and additive manufacturing. The progress and trends in bionic subtractive manufacturing applied to micro/nano structural surfaces, bionic equivalent manufacturing for surface strengthening, and bionic additive manufacturing aiming to achieve bionic spatial structures, are reported. Finally, the key problems faced by laser-based bionic manufacturing, its limitations, and the development trends of its existing technologies are discussed.