Additive manufacturing of 2D nanomaterials

随着物联网(IoT)的扩展，我们的世界越来越多地通过传感器连接在一起，这些传感器可以监控重要系统，如供暖和通风(HVAC)、工业设备、患者日常活动中的健康状况以及不断变化的环境。到2026年，物联网传感器市场预计将达到296亿美元(来源：Markets and Markets)，而在生物医学领域，预计到2025年，全球对可穿戴传感器的需求将增加到28.6亿美元(Grand Review Research)。总部位于艾伯塔省的多家公司目前正在这一领域开展工作，包括FredSense、相位传感器、工业科学和Cardi AI。一个共同的挑战是，需要新技术来设计和制造廉价、便携和轻便的传感器。制造传感器和其他电子设备的一种新兴方法是通过添加制造功能墨水。要实现这些器件，需要具有各种功能的材料(导体、电介质、绝缘体，以及响应所需刺激的属性发生变化的刺激响应材料)。目前市场上的商业导电油墨数量有限，从用于2D(喷墨)打印的银纳米颗粒油墨到用于3D打印的碳-聚合物复合长丝(熔融沉积造型，即在打印前加热实心长丝以使其软化)。还需要具有其他性能的材料，包括介电和压电油墨。2D纳米材料具有实现其中许多功能的潜力，并且由于其尺寸较小，可以用于可打印的墨水。这项工作的目的是合成基于2D纳米材料的墨水，并通过直接墨水书写利用添加制造来制造电子设备，包括那些可以感知物理刺激的设备。结果：(1)新的、可申请专利的功能性墨水配方，以及(2)可定制以满足当地公司需求的打印设备。

As the Internet of Things (IoT) expands, our world is increasingly being connected by sensors, which can monitor vital systems such as heating and ventilation (HVAC), industrial equipment, patient health during daily activity, and the changing environment. The market for IoT sensors is expected to reach $29.6 billion by 2026 (source: Markets and Markets), while within the biomedical field, the global demand for wearable sensors is expected to increase to $2.86 billion by 2025 (Grand Review Research). A variety of Alberta-based companies are currently working in this sphere, including FredSense, Phase Sensors, Industrial Scientific, and Cardi AI. A common challenge is that new technologies are required for the engineering and manufacturing of inexpensive, portable, and lightweight sensors.One emerging approach to manufacturing sensors and other electronic devices is through additive manufacturing of functional inks. To enable these devices, materials with a variety of functionalities are required (conductors, dielectrics, insulators, as well as stimuli-responsive materials that undergo a change in property in response to a desired stimulus). There are currently a limited number of commercial conductive inks on the market, ranging from silver nanoparticle inks for 2D (inkjet) printing to carbon-polymer composite filaments for 3D printing (fused deposition modeling, which heats the solid filament to soften it before printing). Materials with other properties, including dielectric and piezoelectric inks, are also required. 2D nanomaterials have the potential to fulfil many of these functions, and due to their small dimensions, can be used in printable inks. The purpose of this work is to synthesize 2D nanomaterial-based inks and utilize additive manufacturing via direct ink writing to manufacture electronic devices, including those that can sense physical stimuli. Outcomes: (1) new, patentable formulations of functional inks, and (2) printed devices that can be customized to meet the needs of local companies.