Additive Manufacturing Plastic Materials with Improved Dielectric Breakdown Strength

ABSTRACT: Material extrusion 3D printing is an Additive Manufacturing method which utilizes a polymeric monofilanment as a feedstock in the fabrication of 3D objects. The relative simplicity compared to other AM technologies makes it an attractive manufacturing tool, however, characteristics inherent to this 3D printing method (namely air gaps between print rasters) makes it undesirable for the 3D printing of dielectric materials. The strategy proposed here seeks to apply learnings made in the manipulation of the rheology of known 3D printable materials in the development of 3D printable polymers with high dilectric strength. These learnings have been shown do eliminate the presence of air gap between raster layers and will lead to the success of the proposed project.; BENEFIT: A high breakdown strength dielectric material capable of being printed using commercial grade 3D materials extrusion printers, would enable electronic applications of 3D printing with performance which rival conventional manufacturing. Improved printable dielectrics would enable printed power electronics, electromagnetic filtering, storage, actuation, power switching, imaging, and sensing for military as well as across commercial industries.