In-situ embedding of isotropic conductive adhesives in FFF: A single-step approach to additively manufactured electronics
Multimaterial additively manufactured electronics (AME) describes the technology of printing conductive and dielectric materials within a single processing system. Commonly used conductive materials, such as metallic nano particle inks, require a subsequent sintering process. This research introduce...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Materials & Design |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264127525006355 |
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| author | Timo Banko Stefan Grünwald Rainer Kronberger Hermann Seitz |
| author_facet | Timo Banko Stefan Grünwald Rainer Kronberger Hermann Seitz |
| author_sort | Timo Banko |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Multimaterial additively manufactured electronics (AME) describes the technology of printing conductive and dielectric materials within a single processing system. Commonly used conductive materials, such as metallic nano particle inks, require a subsequent sintering process. This research introduces a novel approach by embedding an isotropic conductive adhesive (ICA) during the fused filament fabrication (FFF) process, involving the dispensing of an ICA into a printed channel and the subsequent deposition of molten thermoplastic on top. Utilizing the heat of the molten thermoplastic, this approach enables the fabrication of low-resistance conductor paths in a single process step. Employing a full factorial design of experiments (DOE), the process parameters effects on the ICAs conductivity and the thermoplastic temperature profile were investigated. The maximum conductivity of 8.27×105 S/m was achieved for the conductor path embedded with a liquefier temperature of 300 °C, an embedding speed of 100 mm/sec, and a deposition height of 300 µm. While liquefier temperature and print speed affect the thermoplastics temperature profile, the deposition height affects the cross-sectional geometry of the conductor path, altering its surface-to-volume ratio. This study successfully demonstrates the in-situ fabrication of low-resistance conductor paths in a single process step by utilizing an ICA. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-4ad119d4ce624b749b8f45c386830cd2 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 0264-1275 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Materials & Design |
| spelling | doaj-art-4ad119d4ce624b749b8f45c386830cd22025-08-20T02:37:09ZengElsevierMaterials & Design0264-12752025-07-0125511421510.1016/j.matdes.2025.114215In-situ embedding of isotropic conductive adhesives in FFF: A single-step approach to additively manufactured electronicsTimo Banko0Stefan Grünwald1Rainer Kronberger2Hermann Seitz3Faculty of Process Engineering, Energy and Mechanical Systems, TH Köln—University of Applied Sciences, 50679 Cologne, Germany; Corresponding author.Faculty of Process Engineering, Energy and Mechanical Systems, TH Köln—University of Applied Sciences, 50679 Cologne, GermanyFaculty of Information, Media and Electrical Engineering, TH Köln—University of Applied Sciences, 50679 Cologne, GermanyChair of Microfluidics, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Marine Technology, University of Rostock 18059 Rostock, Germany; Department of Life, Light and Matter, University of Rostock 18059 Rostock, GermanyMultimaterial additively manufactured electronics (AME) describes the technology of printing conductive and dielectric materials within a single processing system. Commonly used conductive materials, such as metallic nano particle inks, require a subsequent sintering process. This research introduces a novel approach by embedding an isotropic conductive adhesive (ICA) during the fused filament fabrication (FFF) process, involving the dispensing of an ICA into a printed channel and the subsequent deposition of molten thermoplastic on top. Utilizing the heat of the molten thermoplastic, this approach enables the fabrication of low-resistance conductor paths in a single process step. Employing a full factorial design of experiments (DOE), the process parameters effects on the ICAs conductivity and the thermoplastic temperature profile were investigated. The maximum conductivity of 8.27×105 S/m was achieved for the conductor path embedded with a liquefier temperature of 300 °C, an embedding speed of 100 mm/sec, and a deposition height of 300 µm. While liquefier temperature and print speed affect the thermoplastics temperature profile, the deposition height affects the cross-sectional geometry of the conductor path, altering its surface-to-volume ratio. This study successfully demonstrates the in-situ fabrication of low-resistance conductor paths in a single process step by utilizing an ICA.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S02641275250063553d-printed electronics (3DPE)Additively manufactured electronics (AME)Isotropic conductive adhesive (ICA)Fused filament fabrication (FFF) |
| spellingShingle | Timo Banko Stefan Grünwald Rainer Kronberger Hermann Seitz In-situ embedding of isotropic conductive adhesives in FFF: A single-step approach to additively manufactured electronics Materials & Design 3d-printed electronics (3DPE) Additively manufactured electronics (AME) Isotropic conductive adhesive (ICA) Fused filament fabrication (FFF) |
| title | In-situ embedding of isotropic conductive adhesives in FFF: A single-step approach to additively manufactured electronics |
| title_full | In-situ embedding of isotropic conductive adhesives in FFF: A single-step approach to additively manufactured electronics |
| title_fullStr | In-situ embedding of isotropic conductive adhesives in FFF: A single-step approach to additively manufactured electronics |
| title_full_unstemmed | In-situ embedding of isotropic conductive adhesives in FFF: A single-step approach to additively manufactured electronics |
| title_short | In-situ embedding of isotropic conductive adhesives in FFF: A single-step approach to additively manufactured electronics |
| title_sort | in situ embedding of isotropic conductive adhesives in fff a single step approach to additively manufactured electronics |
| topic | 3d-printed electronics (3DPE) Additively manufactured electronics (AME) Isotropic conductive adhesive (ICA) Fused filament fabrication (FFF) |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264127525006355 |
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