As you can imagine, combined with 3D printing, this is a bit like the holy grail of manufacturing. Last year, a South Korean research team successfully used 3D printed graphene nanowires for the first time.
A team of researchers from the Imperial College in London now prints the complex three-dimensional geometry of graphene using 3D printed materials.
“Our formulations require the physical properties of the fluidity of the filament deposits required for 3D printing technology. They need to pass through very small nozzles, maintain the spouted shape and immediately solidify.†Dr. Esther Gay, Imperial College, London West Asia, Tunni said.
"We use two-dimensional materials as a basis to create a macroscopic three-dimensional structure. This technique is called direct ink writing. It can also be called direct writing, or Robocasting."
The original purpose was to print the structure of graphene, not for synthetic materials. The initial envisioned 3D printing material was to add a small amount of additives to the water-based ink. One problem is that graphene is extremely hydrophobic. The team developed a 3D printed ink using graphene oxides, a chemically modified form of graphene that can be processed in water.
This is a kind of "smart" polymer, which changes its shape and performance as long as it has a triggering environment. Such as temperature and a chemical substance. This ink can print nanowires in 3D.
"The ink can pass through a 100-nanometer nozzle, and the rheology of this ink can be customized according to processing technology, like extrusion type, gel type, etc." said Dr. Garcia-Tunyon.
"Now that 3D printing is everywhere, we can find a lot of commercially available 3D printers, and you can print out Hello Kitty, the iPhone's protective cover yourself. There are still a long way to go for 3D printing with various materials and practical equipment," she said.
(Editor)