Development of polymeric/MXenes composites towards 3D printable electronics

3D printing is an emerging technology for many applications, including electronics. On the other hand, to gather the applications' requirements with the possibility to produce complex 3-dimensional structures, the development of novel 3D printable materials is necessary. In this context, herein it is reported the synthesis of 3D printable photocurable resins embedding Ti3C2Tz-MXenes, a class of 2D layered materials with outstanding electrical and electronic properties. Stable inks suitable for Digital Light Processing 3D printing technology have been successfully synthesized and employed to fabricate complex 3D composite structures with high printing fidelity. To enhance the electrical conductivity of the material, annealing treatments have been performed, followed by a complete characterization of the so obtained materials. The results show that objects with improved electrical conductivity have been successfully obtained, opening new perspectives in towards the development of complex 3 dimensional electronic.

Automated summary

3D printing technology is used for various applications, including electronics, but requires the development of novel 3D printable materials to produce complex structures. This study reports the synthesis of 3D printable photocurable resins embedding Ti3C2Tz-MXenes, a class of 2D layered materials with excellent electronic properties. Stable inks suitable for Digital Light Processing 3D printing technology were successfully synthesized and used to fabricate complex 3D composite structures. Annealing treatments were performed to enhance the electrical conductivity of the material, resulting in objects with improved conductivity and opening new possibilities for the development of complex 3D electronics.