A team of engineers from Imperial College London have developed a method for printing miniature components from graphene, using a new graphene paste.

Graphene is thin, light, durable, and flexible and it conducts electricity, making it an extremely useful material in many industrial sectors. One of the current challenges for engineers is to develop methods for fabricating three dimensional components made from graphene, which could pave the way for its wider use in manufacturing.

Drs. Esther Garcia Tunon Blanca, Suelen Barg, Victoria Garcia Rocha, and Professor Eduardo Saiz Gutierrez in the Department of Materials at Imperial College London have developed graphene paste formulations containing flakes of chemically modified graphene and small amounts of polymers. The team say their pastes could be used to develop a range of new components using 3D printers.

The researchers are working with Imperial Innovations to commercialize the technology and they are currently looking to collaborate with industrial partners, to find new ways of applying their graphene paste product to solve current challenges in manufacturing. For example, one usage might be creating new pressure sensors for applications as diverse as supersensitive “skin” for robots and new health monitors for patients.

Release Date: February 12, 2015
Source: Imperial College London