3D Printable Plasmonic Titanium Nitride Nanoparticles Enhanced Thermoplastic Polyurethane Composite for Photothermal Deicing and Infrared Imaging

Plasmonic semiconductors enable a highly efficient light-to-heat conversion process, outperforming noble metals in terms of stability, cost-effectiveness, and accessibility. In this study, a composite 3D printing filament (T-TPU), composed of titanium nitride (TiN) and thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), was synthesized by using a combined extrusion process involving a twin-screw extruder and a single-screw extruder. The resulting T-TPU filament could be used with fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D printing to produce custom-designed patterns for various photothermal applications. Notably, these printed patterns showed significant improvement in thermal properties, with over 100% enhancement in thermal conductivity, 13% increase in heat capacity, and 40% increase in density leading to superior photothermal performance and potential applications in photothermal deicing and infrared imaging. Additionally, the wavelength-dependent plasmonic and photothermal responses of the printed patterns were experimentally investigated and supported by finite elemental method (FEM) simulations, revealing a temperature increase of approximately 2.5 °C under IR LED light when compared to commercial black thermoplastic polyurethane (C-TPU), which was more obvious than a difference less than 1 °C under UV or visible LED light sources. Finally, the mechanical properties of T-TPU, altered by the inclusion of TiN nanoparticles, were assessed, showing a slight enhancement in modulus (over 30% enhancement) and friction coefficient (∼5% smoother) relative to neat TPU (N-TPU). Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations indicated that the TiN nanoparticles promoted strong interactions between polymer chains and TiN particles, enhancing the modulus of elasticity and contributing to the improved mechanical properties of T-TPU. These findings suggest improved abrasion resistance, demonstrating the stability and durability of the composite material.