Photocurable Three-Dimensional Printing Resin to Enable Laser-Assisted Selective Electroless Metallization for Customized Electronics

Integrating conductive metal patterns directly on three-dimensional (3D) printed polymers is crucial for realizing diverse 3D printing applications. In this study, we developed photocurable 3D printing resins incorporating ZnO nanoparticles (3DP-ZnO) for 3D printed structures, which enabled subsequent copper (Cu) electroless plating (ELP). ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) were incorporated in the resin as catalytic seeds for ELP, and Cu patterns were precisely fabricated on 3DP-ZnO after 355 nm UV laser activation and Cu ELP. The amount of ZnO NPs within 3DP-ZnO was precisely controlled to balance the photocuring behavior and ELP efficiency. The patterned Cu showed good electrical performance with an electrical resistivity of 6.47 ± 0.22 × 10–6 Ω·cm. Furthermore, the strong adhesion between the Cu layers and surface of the 3D printed structure was confirmed via an adhesion test. This study offers a universal and cost-effective approach for extending 3D printing applications and using 3D printing technology to create practical tools for customized electronic devices.