Progress and opportunities in additive manufacturing of electrically conductive polymer composites

Abstract

Electrically conductive polymer composites have sparked considerable interest in the research community due to their unique advantages that come from combining regular polymers with the electronic properties of metals or semiconductors in a synergistic manner. Additive manufacturing (AM) offers promising prospects in the realm of conductive polymer composites by allowing for greater design flexibility, more complicated shapes, and rapid manufacturing. In addition, a rising number of additive manufacturing (AM) methods, including material extrusion, vat photopolymerization, material and binder jetting, powder bed fusion, and sheet lamination are now available for the 3D printing of conductive polymer composites. In this article, we present an insight into current research advances in the field of conductive polymer composites developed for additive manufacturing, which accelerate the design and development of 3D printable electrical devices. We examine various AM processes in terms of their respective limitations, address the material requirements and significant breakthroughs in 3D printing of conductive polymer composites, and discuss promising electronic applications – such as flexible electronics, energy storage and conversion devices, etc. This overview concludes with an assessment of potential future directions and themes in this developing area.