Jun 6, 2017 | By Tess
Nano Dimension, an Israeli 3D printed electronics specialist, has announced that its Nano Dimension Technologies subsidiary has successfully developed copper nanoparticles that are not only oxidation-resistant, but can be fused into a conductive line after the sintering process. Nano Dimension Technologies has filed a patent application for its copper particles with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Nano Dimension, the company behind the DragonFly 2020 PCB 3D printer and various conductive 3D printing inks, says that its breakthrough copper nanoparticles are being used in the process of developing a conductive copper ink that has the potential to “significantly reduce the cost of the raw-materials used in 3D printing of electronics and PCBs.”
Copper, as most will know, is a highly conductive metal. What people might not realize, however, is that it is actually the second most conductive element after silver, and comes at a much cheaper cost. One of the biggest challenges in using copper as a basis for nanoparticle inks, however, has been due to the element’s tendency to oxidize (the chemical reaction that occurs when copper particles combine with oxygen).
Within the sphere of 3D printed electronics, copper nanoparticle inks typically experience oxidation during the sintering process, as the particles are being fused into a continuous conductive line, a phenomenon which negatively impacts the element's conductivity. To avoid this, one would have to sinter copper nanoparticles at a very high temperature using lasers and powerful lamps, all in an oxygen-free environment. This process, as one can imagine, can be prohibitively expensive.
Now, however, thanks to the recent development by Nano Dimension, it could be possible to 3D print copper-based electronics without the risk of oxidation, and at a much lower cost. In fact, the company claims its copper particles can be fused into a conductive trace at temperatures lower than 160 degrees Celsius.
How has Nano Dimension achieved this breakthrough in printed electronics? Well, while the company has not divulged much about its patent-pending process, it has said that the oxidation-resistant copper nanoparticles are structured into a “unique spherical cluster” with similar properties to a core/shell structure (above).
Nano Dimension explains that “Development of a stable, oxidation resistant, low-temperature sintering copper ink is a breakthrough in inkjet technology, and has the potential to significantly reduce the cost of printing conductive traces.”
The company hopes this innovation will give it access to more markets as well as other 3D printing applications, such as printing on flexible films (PET, for example), radio frequency identification antennas, membrane switches, sensors, and more.
Nano Dimension Ltd., the parent company of Nano Dimension Technologies, recently announced that it raised $4.7 million from investors and would be issuing four million ordinary shares.
Posted in 3D Printing Materials
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