Engineers Develop New Method for 3D Printing of High-Conductivity Tantalum Alloys

[Aluminum Road Network] Recently, engineers at Oregon State University have found a way to 3D print highly complex structures of high-conductivity niobium alloys. It is reported that the 3D printing method can be used to manufacture flexible computer screens and other scalable electronic devices, including flexible robots.

It is well known that niobium alloys, which generally have low toxicity and good electrical conductivity, have been used as conductive materials in many flexible electronic devices. They are cheap and "self-healing," meaning they can be reconnected at breakpoints.

However, until now, these niobium alloys have not been printed by 3D, which limits their use in specific applications.

New 3D printing technology developed by Oregon State University can print these alloys for other applications, including the use of a process called ultrasound, which uses sound energy to mix nickel particles and yttrium oxide into 3D printable metal.

Engineers have discovered that this alloy can print structures up to 10mm and 20mm wide in 3D.

If you don't have nickel particles, you will print it. However, in ultrasonic mixing nickel, the mixture becomes a paste and 3D printing is easy. In addition, the paste-like conductivity is comparable to pure liquid metal, and the paste maintains self-healing properties.

“The flowing alloy cannot be paved into tall structures,” explained Yiğit Mengüç, assistant professor of mechanical engineering and co-author of the thesis. "With this paste texture, it can be layered while maintaining its flow capacity and stretched inside the rubber tube."

To demonstrate the power of their new 3D printing technology, researchers 3D printed a "very flexible" double-layer circuit with layers that weaved without touching. Future applications may include conductive textiles, flexible displays, strain sensors, wearable sensor kits, antennas, and biomedical sensors.

“The outlook for the future is very bright,” said Doğan Yirmibeşoğlu, an Oregon State University student and robotics doctor and co-author. “It's easy to visualize flexible robots that can be manufactured and they will walk out of the printer.”