ConductiveMaterials

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This page is a development stub. Please enhance this page by adding information, cad files, nice big images, and well structured data!


Overview

This page lists the results of conductive materials that can be extruded by a Reprap printer. The goal being to be able to print uOhm conductive paths, N and P type semiconductor material and variable resistive paths.

Solders, paints, sealants, glues and epoxies.

Low resistive materials

  • Field's metal - Melting Point: 60.5 C
  • Wood's metal - Melting Point: 71 C
  • Rose's metal - Melting Point: 109 C
  • Solder - Melting Point: 183 C
  • Carbon Powder - Melting not possible - Mix in with glue or sealant - Allows for variable resistor values

N type semiconductor material

  • Cadmium selenide
  • Zinc Oxide
  • Cadmium arsenide - Soluble in water
  • Tin Dioxide

P type semiconductor material

  • Copper Sulfide
  • Copper(II) Oxide

Print a Transistor

The holy grail of electronics is the transistor. If a 3D printer was able to extrude a mixture with Zinc Oxide, then place a dab of a mixture with Copper(II) Oxide and then attach two low resistive connections to the Zinc Oxide mixture and one low resistive connection to the Copper Oxide mixture, we should have an NPN transistor. Once we have transistors we can build [Logic Gates]. Once we have logic gates, we can use any [FPGA core that is available.

Experiments Results

Graphite added to Bitumen

Bitumen is a brushable waterproofer sealant used on roofs. It hardens into a flexible rubber.

Materials

  • Bitumen Brushable Waterproofer - 500ml AU$ 8.64
  • Graphite - Lock-Lube - 6g AU$ 6.11

Results

  • 10ml of bitumen and 750 mg of graphite. Result - >2M Ohms
  • 10ml of bitumen and 1.25g of graphite. Result - 34k Ohms/cm
  • 10ml of bitumen and 2g of graphite. Result - 500-1k/cm Ohms

Notes

Additional graphite was added to the existing solution after the sample trace was drawn. At 2g of graphite the mixture was thick and difficult to mix and manipulate with a the toothpick I used to lay down the test trace. Paint thinner should be added to the mixture and tested.


External Links

More on making conductive glue circuits. An instuctable on how to make conductive glue circuits.