A comprehensive review on advancements, innovations and applications of 3D warp interlock fabrics and its composite materials

Thanks to their superior performance including greater cohesion, good mechanical and delamination behaviors, and excellent formability properties, 3D warp interlock woven fabrics (3DWIFs) have emerged as promising fibrous reinforcement structure for composite material. The current paper explores the innovations, advanced developments, and varied applications of 3DWIFs and its composites. Initially, the paper discusses the fabric's versatile potential, revealing its exceptional structural integrity, formability, manufacturing techniques, broad spectrum of applications and other parameters compared to conventional two-dimensional woven fabric reinforcements. Furthermore, the potential benefits and challenges of the 3DWIFs and its composite materials are explained to highlight their prospects in current and future industrial applications. Subsequently, the paper further explores the reinforcement's distinctive structural characteristics emphasizing its classifications and designing techniques. The discussion extends to the extensive and versatile applications of 3DWIFs and its composites across diverse sectors, including defence and security, the automotive and aerospace industry, and the civil and architectural sectors. By synthesizing and critically analyzing the existing research, this paper will serve as a valuable resource, enlightening the 3DWIF's present status and projecting its promising prospects both as dry fabric and composite reinforcing material for diverse industrial applications.