New compound offers 3D printed alternative to metallic telecoms devices

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In what is claimed to a first-of-its-kind development, researchers have created a new compound that can be used to 3D print telecommunication antennas and other connectivity devices.

Waveguides direct and focus electromagnetic waves in telecommunications satellites and terrestrial devices like microwaves and phones
Waveguides direct and focus electromagnetic waves in telecommunications satellites and terrestrial devices like microwaves and phones - Drexel University

These 3D printed products, created by combining MXenes with a polymer, can be used as an alternative for metallic counterparts and can make a vast improvement in communication technology, including elements such as antennas, waveguides and filters.

Waveguides are everywhere, yet most people don’t know what they are, said Dr Mohammad Zarifi, a researcher in UBC Okanagan’s Microelectronics and Gigahertz Applications (OMEGA) Lab.

Dr. Zarifi and his OMEGA team develop communication components that have a compatible performance to metal, but are 10 to 20 times lighter, less expensive and easy to build.

“In the ever-evolving landscape of technology, waveguides - a foundation in devices we use daily - are undergoing a transformative shift,” Dr. Zarifi, an Associate Professor with the School of Engineering said in a statement. “From the familiar hum of microwave ovens to the vast reach of satellite communication, these integral components have traditionally been made from metals like silver, brass and copper.”

MXenes are an emerging family of two-dimensional materials - with the titanium carbide MXene being a leader in terms of electrical conductivity, said co-collaborator Dr Yury Gogotsi, director of the A.J. Drexel Nanomaterials Institute at Drexel University in Philadelphia

“Think of MXenes as nanometre-thin conductive flakes that can be dispersed in water-like clay,” said Dr Gogotsi. “This is a material that can be applied from dispersion in pure water with no additives to almost any surface. After drying in air, it can make polymer surfaces conductive. It’s like metallisation at room temperature, without melting or evaporating a metal, without vacuum or temperature.”

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According to UBC Okanagan, integration of MXenes onto 3D-printed nylon-based parts allows a channel-like structure to become more efficient in guiding microwaves to frequency bands.

This capability in a lightweight, additively manufactured component can impact the design and manufacturing of electronic communication devices in the aerospace and satellite industry, said Omid Niksan, a UBCO School of Engineering doctoral student and first author of the article.

“Whether in space-based communication devices or medical imaging equipment like MRI machines, these lightweight MXene-coated polymeric structures have the potential to replace traditional manufacturing methods such as metal machining for creating channel structures,” he said.

The researchers have a provisional patent on the polymer-based MXene-coated communication components.

“While there is still additional research to be done, we’re excited about the potential of this innovative material.,” said Dr. Zafiri. “We aim to explore and develop the possibilities of 3D printed antennas and communication devices in space. By reducing payloads of shuttle transporters, it gives engineers more options.”

The research, conducted in collaboration with scientists from Drexel University's A.J. Drexel Nanomaterials Institute, is detailed in Materials Today.

MXenes