DIY electronics
Imagine a future where people can 3D-print a computer from home. The idea might sound farfetched today, but UIC researchers are laying the foundation to get us there.
Three researchers in the chemical engineering department have developed conductive 3D-printed structures using graphene composite, which could lead to progress in the design of next-generation, printed-on-demand electronic and electromechanical devices.
In their experiments, the team started with two flat sheets of graphene mixed with a PLA polymer. They discovered that the graphene still could conduct electricity even after the composite material’s shape changed. They found that electrons tunneled between the graphene sheets and that mechanical stress on the material affected how the electrons tunneled.
“This information is critical in figuring out how you would design an electronic device using this kind of material,” said Deisy Carvalho Fernandes, PhD ’20, who worked on the research with Dylan Lynch, MS ’19, and Professor Vikas Berry, the department head.
By adding more complex components to the 3D-printed designs, the team hopes to continue to push the boundaries of what is possible. “The next step will be to create a battery or a solar panel, which is definitely doable with our current technology,” said Carvalho Fernandes, who is now a postdoctoral researcher at Brown University. “If we continue to improve these techniques, we may one day be able to 3D-print a whole computer.”