Structural materials are widely used in load-bearing components in the aerospace, automotive, energy, biomedical and construction sectors. Additive manufacturing (AM) provides new opportunities to produce complex parts and control their microstructures and properties. However, most alloys currently used in AM were originally developed for conventional manufacturing and may not be well suited to the unique conditions of AM. Therefore, developing new alloys (and composites) specifically for AM is a promising research direction for improving printability, mechanical performance and reliability.

This Special Issue will feature state-of-the-art reviews and original research on the design, processing, characterization and performance of advanced structural materials for AM. Emphasis is placed on novel materials, microstructural control, process–structure–property relationships, and strategies that improve mechanical performance and reliability. Studies on computational design, advanced characterization and post-processing are also welcome. Topics of particular interest include, but are not limited to:

• Design of novel alloys and composites for AM;
• Microstructural engineering of AM-built materials;
• Process–structure–property relationships;
• Post-processing, repair and surface modification;
• Computational, physics-informed and AI-assisted materials development.