Highly Conductive 3D Printable Materials for 3D Structural Electronics

3D printing will be one of the key technologies in the next industrial revolution. It will usher us into an era of decentralized manufacturing, empowering individuals to manufacture in their communities. One area in particular that can benefit from 3D printing is the production of electronics. 3D printing allows for the fabrication of structural electronics, which have their components embedded in the 3D structured object. Recently spotlighted 3D structural printing technologies include fused filament fabrication and direct-ink writing to prepare 3D conductive traces. Highly conductive traces are imperative for achieving reliable 3D structural electronics. This Spotlight will overview highly conductive 3D printable materials available from several prominent methods of producing conductive traces. Key conducting materials demonstrated by 3D deposition, photocuring, and electrochemical approaches have been reviewed and discussed.