Fig. (a) A 3D printer at work building from an electronic data source
Fig. (a) A 3D printer at work building from an electronic data source
Graphene, a 1-atom thick, hexagonally arranged lattice of carbon, has been in the hype for the past few years for its various unconventional yet highly useful properties. The use of graphene-infused materials has greatly enhanced the strength, thermal resistance, and electrical and thermal conductivity of the printing materials.
Fig. (b) Graphene basic single-lattice hexagonal structure
Fig. (b) Graphene basic single-lattice hexagonal structure
Fig. (c) Carbon nanotube (CNT) basic structure. (Similarity to graphene atomic arrangement can be seen)
Various developments in this regard mostly involving graphene-based polylactic acid filament (graphene-PLA) and the doors they can open have been discussed here.
An interesting case on point to begin with, where graphene made it to the markets, will be the company Haydale Composite Solutions a subsidiary of Haydale Graphene Industries PLC had launched their first 3D printing material which is a graphene-enhanced poly lactic acid (PLA) filament. The filament is made available in 1.75mm and 2.85mm compatible with a wide range of Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) 3D printers along with holding the versatility of any advanced graphene material. The new material holds many advantages over regular PLA when it comes to printing, like first layer adhesion, better z-axis hold and increase in printing speed, thus it can help the 3D printing technology to go beyond prototyping.
With this venture of Haydale as an addition in the number of graphene producers and rise in cross-industry technologies, the successful implementation of Haydale’s graphene-enhanced PLA filaments is expected to raise the graphene platelets (also sheets) market from 90-95% boost if not more. The market for this material, according to its manufacturers, lies mainly in the car-making industry where the easy 3D printing of material through computer-aided design software is expected to give the industry exponential growth.
Along with that electronics and energy industry is also to experience a boost by this ‘wonder material’ due to the rising demand of printed electronics for the technology to be used in the semiconductor industry, data storage, touch screens, wearables, conductive inks, optoelectronics and sensors.
Few such promising developments in that direction are mentioned below.
Graphene-based 3D printed highly conductive flexible circuits
First, a reduced graphene oxide (r-GO) is synthesized by the method of a modified two-step in-situ, making the conductivity of the end material reaching up to 600 S/m. Then the polylactic acid (PLA) and r-GO are mixed through melt blending with r-GO being homogenously dispersed in the PLA substrate. Finally, the composites filaments with a diameter of 1.75 mm are 3D printed, using the fused deposition molding/modeling (FDM) process, which is fabricated through melt extrusion, during which the orientation of r-GO also takes place, which increases the conductivity of the filaments and they also exhibit appreciable mechanical property. The 2D and 3D printed filaments have strong interface bonding between the layers and because of their high conductivity and better heat resistance they can substitute for the copper wires in the electronics and energy storage fields cutting costs related to copper prices and device-related losses.
Fig. (d) 3D printing of reduced graphene oxide (r-GO) resulting in flexible circuits
Fig. (d) 3D printing of reduced graphene oxide (r-GO) resulting in flexible circuits