Achieving 1/100th the thickness of a hair with new material 'Maxine'
Institute (KERI) has achieved a printing resolution of about 1/100th the thickness of a hair. Dr. Seol Seung-kwon's team of the Smart 3D Printing Research Team at the Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute (KERI) has presented a technology to print high-resolution 3D micro-structures using 'MXene', known as the dream new material.
MXene, first discovered in the United States in 2011, is a two-dimensional nano-material in which metal layers and carbon layers are alternately stacked. MXene has high electrical conductivity and electromagnetic wave blocking ability.
A KERI 3D printer is printing micro-structures using MXene ink. [Photo = KERI]
It is attracting great attention in various fields such as high-efficiency batteries and electromagnetic shielding due to its characteristics of being easy to combine with various metal chemicals.
In order to apply MXene to the 3D printing field, a separate additive (binder) is required. There was a difficulty in adjusting the ink viscosity (concentration) to the optimal level for printing.
If the supply of Maxene was too much, there was a problem that the high-concentration ink would block the nozzle. On the other hand, if the amount was greatly reduced, there was a limit to sufficiently printing the desired structure. There was also a disadvantage that the original properties of Maxene were damaged due to the additive.
To solve this, Dr. Seung-Kwon Seol's team utilized their own 'meniscus' method. Meniscus is a phenomenon in which a curved surface is formed on the outer wall of a water droplet without bursting due to capillary action when a water droplet, etc., is pressed or pulled at a certain pressure.
The KERI research team succeeded in manufacturing nano ink for 3D printing that can print high-resolution microstructures even with low viscosity by dispersing highly hydrophilic Maxene in water without a binder.
The printing principle is simple. When ink is sprayed from the 3D printer nozzle, nanomaterials such as Maxene are sprayed through the meniscus. At this time, water (solvent) quickly evaporates from the meniscus surface of the ink. The strong attraction (van der Waals force) inside causes the nano materials to bind to each other.
This is the principle of creating a 3D microstructure that conducts electricity by moving the nozzle and continuously performing this process.
This achievement was made by maximizing the characteristics of MAXEN without additives, and the results were excellent. The printing resolution is 1.3㎛ (micrometers), which is 270 times higher than existing technology, and is about 1/100th the thickness of a hair.
The performance and usability of electrical and electronic devices have also been greatly improved through the miniaturization of 3D printed structures. When used in energy storage devices such as batteries, the surface area and integration of the structure can be increased to maximize ion transfer efficiency and increase energy density.
In electromagnetic shielding, the internal multiple reflection and absorption effects can be amplified to improve performance. In addition, increased sensitivity and improved efficiency can be expected when producing various sensors.
Dr. Seung-Kwon Seol said, "We have put a lot of effort into optimizing the concentration conditions of Maxene ink and precisely analyzing various parameters that may occur during the printing process," and added, "Our technology is the world's first to obtain high-strength, high-precision 3D microstructures by taking advantage of Maxene without any separate additives or post-processing processes."
The results of this research were recently selected as the cover paper for 'Small,' a world-renowned academic journal in the materials field. KERI plans to actively seek out companies in need to commercialize the developed technology.
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