3D printing of electrically conductive hybrid organic–inorganic composite materials

We present preparation, characterization, and 3D printing of electrically conductive acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) polymer. The conducting ABS prepared by doping carbon fibers (150 μm in length) at 200 °C by using a thermo-plasto mill, with different weight percentage (10–60 wt%) of carbon fibers in ABS polymer matrix. The conductivity was measured by four-point probe that determines percolation threshold occurs at 15 wt%. Conductivity of 0.067 S/m was observed at 50 wt%. Melt extrusion technique was employed in order to fabricate cylindrical filament with a diameter of 1.75 mm. A standard fused deposition modeling type printer (Makerbot) was used to print the developed filament. The developed ABS electrically conductive composite can be potentially used for various applications, such as 3D printing of wires, circuits, sensors, resistors, heaters, robotics, MEMS and active microfluidics devices.