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Allows 3d printing of components by SLA or DLP, increasing resolution, reliability and material strength and reducing cost.
About
Current technology for printing by FDM (filament deposition modelling) creates components which are highly brittle and limited to 25% conductive materials, significantly limiting the potential conductivity of the composite. The application of UV curable electrically conductive polymer for printing by SLA and DLP allows the system to print components without the limitations applied to filament deposition modelling, i.e. resolution, reliability and material strength. It also allows for additional fillers to be applied to provide additional functionalities, such as piezoelectronics, light emittance or compounds to provide electrochemical benefits, without reducing the base conductivity of the binding polymer. Additionally, the material in this case is an aerogel composite, which reduces the weight of the material without compromising its strength.
Key Benefits
Accessibility of 3D printed components with enhanced physical properties and with incorporation of enhanced/novel functionalities: Design, prototyping and manufacture Cost Saving: The application of DLP printing techniques can significantly increase efficiency, by allowing users to produce multiple components/electrodes simultaneously reducing the costs of each 3D printed component. By integrating this novel material we can print an array of individual components, or repeated components simultaneously, all with the enhanced electrical conductivity.
Applications
Customised, high functionality wearable technology and prosthetics. Current wearable technology encompasses a spectrum of clothing (e.g., thermochromic T-shirt, EM-shielding clothes, and capacitive gloves) and low-weight, readily-portable accessories or gadgets (e.g., watches, glasses, assistive hearing aids, and prosthetics) that 1) enable real-time monitoring of users’ biometrics and their immediate environment, 2) directly enhance users’ physical capabilities, or 3) impart aesthetic values. The majority of commercially available wearables are manufactured based on high-volume–low-mix economics and their designs are not tailored to specific requirements (e.g., body shape, aesthetic preference, etc.) of the users. Customization of wearables (e.g., hearing aids and prosthetics) using traditional manufacturing techniques often incurs high cost, which is passed on to the end user. Batteries and energy storage (Electrochemical Materials). The ability to 3D print advanced geometries, with high resolution associated with SLA and DLP, allows for the fast generation of electrochemical test platforms with higher performance than those on 3D substrates. This technology also allows for the integration of advanced fillers for improved detection, capacitance and energy storage capabilities without reducing the base conductivity. Additionally, the aerogel nature of the 3D printed material increases the surface area significantly, improving the electrochemical performance compared to FDM alternatives. Prototyping electronics. Existing electronics platforms are typically built by printed circuit board etching and screen printing technologies, which are expensive to set up and to initiate trials. This technology allows for the rapid prototyping of printed electronics in 3D reducing the limitations on product design and material efficiency.