Abstract:

Digital Light Processing (DLP)[1] is an additive manufacturing technology based on a Vat photopolymerisation process. 3D objects are manufactured layer upon layer by projecting 2D light patterns onto a liquid photocurable resin. This fast and accurate process is usually limited to insulating and transparent resins. Loading resins with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) or graphene particles to make conductive and functional objects would significantly broaden the spectrum of applications of the DLP technology. However, several challenges are faced towards this objective. These challenges include the stabilization of nanocarbon particles into the resin, the achievement of acceptable transparency to UV-light in order to photo-polymerize the resin, and the realization of conductive materials formed by a percolation network. We will present how these objectives can be met with the efficient dispersion of CNTs or graphene particles in acrylic resins [2], and the achievement of highly conductive materials. Special attention will be given to enhancements of electrical properties by thermal annealing, to the conductivity anisotropy and to the lectromagnetic absorption capabilities of the 3D printed materials.

References:
[1] R. D. Farahani, M. Dubé, D. Therriault, Adv. Mater. 2016, 28, 5794.
[2] D. Tilve Martinez, W. Neri, D. Horaud, N. Vukadinovic, B. Berton, A. Desmedt, J. Yuan,
P. Poulin. Adv. Funct. Mater. 2023, 2214954