Nuclear energy provides enduring power to space vehicles, but special attention should be paid to radiation shielding during the development and use of nuclear energy systems. In this paper, novel composite materials containing poly-ether-ether-ketone (PEEK) as a substrate and different tungsten contents as a reinforcing agent were developed and tested as shielding for gamma-ray radiation. Shielding test bodies were quickly processed by fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D printing, and their mechanical, shielding properties of composite materials were evaluated. The results revealed shielding materials with excellent mechanical properties which can further be improved by heat treatment. Under 0.45 MPa load, the heat deflection temperature of PEEK/tungsten (metal) composites was significantly lower than that of PEEK/boron carbide (non-metal) composites. The new shielding materials also demonstrated better shielding of low-energy ¹³⁷Cs than high-energy ⁶⁰Co. The gamma-ray shielding rates of test pieces shielding materials made of the same thickness changed exponentially with the tungsten content present in the composite materials. More tungsten led to a better shielding effect. At the same tungsten content, the gamma-ray shielding effect showed a proportional relationship with the thickness of the shielding test bodies, in which thicker test bodies induced better shielding effects. In sum, the integration of 3D printing in the mechanical design and manufacturing of shielding bodies is an effective and promising way for quick processing when considering diverse rays and complex environments. Lighter shielding bodies, at lower costs, can be achieved by structural design in limited space to maximize the material utilization rate and reduce waste.

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) often encounter complex ground conditions during takeoff and landing, especially on unpaved surfaces such as snow, sand, grass, and slopes, as well as under extreme conditions like strong winds and dense fog. In these scenarios, the landing gear may experience significant impact loads and vibrations. If the structure fails to absorb energy effectively and rebound promptly, it may compromise airframe stability, onboard system reliability, and operational safety. To optimize the energy absorption–rebound performance of UAV landing gear, this study employed thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU 98 A) to design five homogeneous and gradient lattice structures with varying cell parameters, fabricated via fused deposition modeling (FDM). Quasi-static compression tests were conducted to investigate load–displacement behavior, energy absorption, and rebound performance. A multidimensional evaluation system was established based on total energy absorption (EA), specific energy absorption (SEA), hysteresis loop area (HLA), energy recovery ratio (ERR), residual displacement ratio (RDR), and stiffness degradation ratio (SDR), enabling an integrated assessment of energy absorption and rebound. Results demonstrate that TPU lattice structures achieve high energy absorption while maintaining excellent rebound performance and structural stability.