Graphene Ink for 3D Printing

 


University of Waterloo is researching an environmentally friendly ink for 3-D printing. Their study is called, “additive free Graphene based inks for 3-D printing functional conductive aerogels.” The journal of materials chemistry a Published the groups work. 

Graphene is known for its thermal properties, strength, and electrical conductivity. It is a powder form, which is very difficult to work with. It’s form can limit Graphene uses.

The group at Waterloo have created the world’s first all Graphene Inc. It was created by developing Graphene nano sheets that can disperse in water. The Graphene still maintains its conductivity. The new ink is very versatile and environmentally friendly. It does not use additives or any chemical solvent for printing.

Dr. David Kamkar Is a professor in the Department of chemical engineering at Waterloo. He reports, “shaping graphitic Material in the complex geometry for advanced applications has long been a critical challenge that is limited their widespread adoption. With our proposed methods, we can 3-D print Graphene into any shape.”

Dysfunctional, water-based Graphene ink can be used to make sensors for smart watches, or even glucose monitors for diabetes patients.

The team consisted of members of the university of Calgary, the University of British Columbia and Aalto university in Finland. Together they invented a two step Electrochemical process. An interesting procedure called intercalation is used. This occurs when scientist insert a molecule into layered graphite.

The process allows for the continuous production of Graphene, nanosheets in water. Kamkar Is also director of the multi scale materials design lab at Waterloo. He summarizes, “our modern technological advancements have come at the cost of new environmental challenges. To survive and address these challenges, we must develop new materials that are more effective than those currently available. This can only be achieved by controlling and fine-tuning material properties across multiple scales, from the molecular to nano levels to the macro scale.”


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