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Resources Wire reported earlier this week on the progress that Lomiko Metals Inc. (TSXV:LMR) and Graphene Laboratories are making in bringing graphene closer to commercial production.
Resources Wire reported earlier this week on the progress that Lomiko Metals Inc. (TSXV:LMR) and Graphene Laboratories are making in bringing graphene closer to commercial production.
One project the two companies are working on is using graphene-based nanocomposite materials for 3D printing applications.
As quoted in the market news:
Essentially graphene is mixed with the existing plastic polymer used as the 3D printing medium. This mixing allows the graphene to ‘share’ some of its qualities with the polymer. So, for example, a non-conductive 3D printing plastic polymer will become conductive when infused with graphene nanoplatelets.
As Paul Gill, CEO of Lomiko Metals puts it: ‘If you think of printing with black ink on white paper that is what 3D printing is now. Add graphene and you are suddenly able to print in colour.’
Less metaphorically, the addition of graphene to existing 3D polymers should allow the combining several materials with different functionalities within one printing process and the creation of functioning, printed, circuits in 3D constructions. You could print a 3D flashlight which, once you added a bulb and a battery, would work.