3D Printable Polymeric Composite Material with Enhanced Conductivity Achieved by Affinity Matching

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Polymer Science
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Polymer-based conductive composites offer advantages like light weight and low cost.
• Challenges exist in achieving high conductivity and 3D printability simultaneously.
• Graphene nanosheets are promising conductive fillers but require effective dispersion and network formation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a highly conductive and 3D printable polymer composite using unsaturated polyester resin and graphene nanosheets.
• To investigate the formation of a 3D conductive network and the effect of printing-induced orientation on conductivity.
• To evaluate the composite's performance in heat dissipation and electromagnetic shielding.

Main Methods:

• Unsaturated polyester resin was used as the polymer matrix.
• Graphene nanosheets were incorporated as conductive fillers and rheological modifiers.
• Direct ink writing (DIW) 3D printing was employed to fabricate the composite structures.

Main Results:

• A well-matched affinity between graphene and unsaturated polyester led to graphene aggregation and a 3D conductive network.
• Shearing forces during DIW printing induced graphene nanosheet orientation, enhancing conductivity along the printing direction.
• The composite achieved a high conductivity of 69.9 S m⁻¹ at room temperature with excellent 3D printability.

Conclusions:

• The developed unsaturated polyester resin/graphene nanosheet composite exhibits outstanding electrical and thermal conductivity.
• Excellent processability via DIW 3D printing was demonstrated.
• The material shows significant potential for applications in electromagnetic shielding, printed electronics, and heat dissipation.