A team of researchers at Virginia Tech and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory recently unveiled a new process that allows for the 3D printing of complex objects with graphene. Known as one of the strongest materials ever tested on the planet, graphene was previously only printable in 2D sheets or basic structures.
Because of its strength and level of thermal and electrical conductivity, 3D-printed graphene objects are highly coveted in the production of batteries, aerospace components and vehicles, heat management devices, and sensors. Graphene is a single layer of carbon atoms organized in a hexagonal lattice, but when graphene sheets are stacked on top of each other and formed into a three-dimensional shape, it becomes graphite, like the lead in pencils.
The nature of this structure means it has less advanced mechanical properties. However, after the team separated the sheets with air-filled pores, the three-dimensional structure, or graphene aerogel, can maintain physical properties that allow for designs with three-dimensional topology. This innovation could lead to advancements in strength, conductivity, and density of the material when 3D printed.
Previously, researchers could print graphene using an extrusion process, but the process limited its applications to the creation of simple objects. Recent developments took the material’s resolution from 100 microns to 10 microns. This increased resolution allows for transferring all the positive elements of graphene to more detailed parts while leveraging the time, cost, and weight benefits of 3D printing.
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