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Advanced Materials and Process for 3D Printing and Flexible Electronics

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Materials Science and Engineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 October 2021) | Viewed by 7095

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Faculty of Applied Science and Technology, Sheridan College, Oakville, ON, Canada
Interests: 3D printing; hybrid and flexible electronics; additive manufacturing; printed electronics; electronic materials; 3D electronics; advanced manufacturing

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Additive manufacturing and flexible electronics have both seen rapid and significant progress in recent decades. Alongside growing industrial interest, these two fields have also seen increasing opportunity and innovation at their intersection, particularly in the case of materials. 

This Special Issue is focused on the latest developments and research results in novel materials for 3D printing, flexible electronics, and in the space connecting them both. The purpose of this issue is to provide a forum for recent advances in materials that enable the future of the rapidly emerging and merging areas of additive manufacturing and flexible electronics.

Many advanced materials are already used in additive manufacturing, and a broad range of new materials are in development. Today’s product developers have a huge array of advanced materials that can be tailored for advanced applications at their fingertips.

Beyond structural applications, materials have also been the cornerstone of the modern information age, beginning with the development of the integrated circuit in the early 1960s. The push to make circuits that are faster, denser, and cheaper has driven innovations in new materials and processes for decades. While silicon remains the mainstay of integrated circuit technology, many other materials play a central role in expanding the horizons of conventional electronics.

At the intersection between 3D printing and electronics, advanced materials are helping to bridge the gap between the creation of structure and function. Advanced materials in 3D printing include a range of advanced polymers, nanoparticles, ceramics, graphene, etc. These materials are enabling traditional and advanced electronics applications while taking advantage of the design and fabrication flexibility of additive manufacturing systems. Additive processes allow new mechanical, optical, and electronic products to be fabricated with nearly any geometry, reducing traditional manufacturing constraints.

Without doubt, ongoing developments in advanced materials will fuel future innovations in flexible electronics, additive manufacturing, 3D electronics, and beyond.

Dr. Michelle Chretien
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • printed electronics
  • flexible electronics
  • flexible hybrid electronics (FHE)
  • additive manufacturing
  • 3D printing
  • 3D electronics
  • electronic materials
  • thin film electronics
  • flexible battery
  • printable batteries
  • sensor materials
  • photovoltaic materials
  • composites
  • ceramics
  • dielectric materials

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

9 pages, 3365 KiB  
Article
Fabrication of Biocompatible Polycaprolactone–Hydroxyapatite Composite Filaments for the FDM 3D Printing of Bone Scaffolds
by Chang Geun Kim, Kyung Seok Han, Sol Lee, Min Cheol Kim, Soo Young Kim and Junghyo Nah
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(14), 6351; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11146351 - 9 Jul 2021
Cited by 45 | Viewed by 4542
Abstract
Recently, three-dimensional printing (3DP) technology has been widely adopted in biology and biomedical applications, thanks to its capacity to readily construct complex 3D features. Using hot-melt extrusion 3DP, scaffolds for bone tissue engineering were fabricated using a composite of biodegradable polycaprolactone (PCL) and [...] Read more.
Recently, three-dimensional printing (3DP) technology has been widely adopted in biology and biomedical applications, thanks to its capacity to readily construct complex 3D features. Using hot-melt extrusion 3DP, scaffolds for bone tissue engineering were fabricated using a composite of biodegradable polycaprolactone (PCL) and hydroxyapatite (HA). However, there are hardly any published reports on the application of the fused deposition modeling (FDM) method using feed filaments, which is the most common 3D printing method. In this study, we report on the fabrication and characterization of biocompatible filaments made of polycaprolactone (PCL)/hydroxyapatite (HA), a raw material mainly used for bone scaffolds, using FDM 3D printing. A series of filaments with varying HA content, from 5 to 25 wt.%, were fabricated. The mechanical and electrical properties of the various structures, printed using a commercially available 3D printer, were examined. Specifically, mechanical tensile tests were performed on the 3D-printed filaments and specimens. In addition, the electrical dielectric properties of the 3D-printed structures were investigated. Our method facilitates the fabrication of biocompatible structures using FDM-type 3DP, creating not only bone scaffolds but also testbeds for mimicking bone structure that may be useful in various fields of study. Full article
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13 pages, 1773 KiB  
Article
Automated Low Investment Cost Evaporometers (ALICEs)
by Adam Tejkl and Petr Kavka
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(11), 4986; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11114986 - 28 May 2021
Viewed by 1995
Abstract
Evaporation is an important part of the hydrological cycle. This paper discusses the materials and methods we used to develop an evaporometer, which measures evaporation from the water surface, like a drop in water level. The main problem is that there are relatively [...] Read more.
Evaporation is an important part of the hydrological cycle. This paper discusses the materials and methods we used to develop an evaporometer, which measures evaporation from the water surface, like a drop in water level. The main problem is that there are relatively small differences in the levels measured directly in the field. During the research, we tested conductive filament and stainless steel as measuring electrode materials. We used 3D printing in combination with low-cost open-source electronics and a hand-etched circuit board to make a device which measures the free water surface level. A 3D printed jig is used when assembling the device, and this ensures that the contact electrodes are set precisely. Another 3D printed jig is used to create the etched circuit board, which holds all the electronic devices. The device uses the low-cost open-source Arduino Uno electronics microcontroller board. Our results show that high-precision measurements can be gathered with the use of open-source electronics in 3D printed housing. The device is also durable and easy to maintain. Full article
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