3D printed object including printed battery.
Last month Graphene 3D Lab submitted a provisional application for a patent in the US for 3D printed battery technology. At the Inside 3D Printing conference in Santa Clara this week, the company presented its latest developments in the 3D printable graphene battery, the first product of its kind.
The Calverton based company have been working on graphene-enhanced materials that allow the 3D printing process to be used to fabricate a functioning battery which may be incorporated into a 3D printed object during the build process. Now Graphene 3D has created a battery manufactured entirely on a 3D printer using FFF technology.
By combining thermoplastics with nanoparticles the company produces nanocomposite material which possesses functional properties such as conductivity. As a material graphene offers superb thermal conductivity and mechanical strength and when produced in a particular form, can be mixed with thermoplastics and turned into a 3D printing filament.
Graphene based 3D printing material.
With the potential to outperform a conventional battery, the company's 3D printed graphene battery’s shape, size and specifications can be freely adjusted to fit the particular design of the device it is printed in.
Dr. Stolyarov commented: "Our ability to create a 3D printable battery and other electrochemical devices will play a significant role in the growth of commercial applications of 3D printing technology."
The company has released a short video explaining the technology here.
3D printed electronics is the next step in 3D printing technology with many companies currently working on the ability to print functional products with electronics embedded into them. As multi-material 3D printing improves, the company hopes it will be possible to print entire objects including electronics in a single print.
