Researchers at UBC have been able to examine the possibilities of wearable human motion devices because to the development of high-resolution extrusion printing think 3D printing but with ink that conducts electrical.
Smartwatches, heart monitors, sleep aids and even step counts are examples of wearable electronics that are now commonplace.
Additionally, scientists working in the Nanomaterials and Polymer Nanocomposites Laboratory at UBC Okanagan have developed even more compact, lightweight, and precise sensors that may be incorporated into apparel and equipment.
The UBCO research team is investigating a high-resolution extrusion printing methodology to create miniature devices with a dual functionality electromagnetic interference (EMI) barrier and a body motion sensor in conjunction with Drexel University and the University of Toronto.
According to Dr. Mohammad Arjmand, Assistant Professor and Canada Research Chair in Advanced Materials and Polymer Engineering at UBC Okanagan’s School of Engineering, these EMI shields are small and lightweight and may find use in the healthcare, aerospace, and automotive industries.
Dr. Arjmand’s team has created a conductive ink with a variety of characteristics that make it simpler to include into wearable technology using a two-dimensional inorganic nanomaterial called MXene and a conductive polymer.
Compared to conventional manufacturing technologies, extrusion printing offers customization, reduction in materials waste, and rapid production, while opening up numerous opportunities for wearable and smart electronics. As extrusion printing techniques improve, it is opening the door to many unique innovations.
Dr. Mohammad Arjmand
“Advanced or smart materials that provide electrical conductivity and flexibility are highly sought-after,” he says. “Extrusion printing of these conductive materials will allow for macro-scale patterning, meaning we can produce different shapes or geometries, and the product will have outstanding architecture flexibility.”
Ahmadreza Ghaffarkhah, a PhD student, notes that the manufacturing procedures for these functional materials are currently primarily restricted to laminated and simple structures that do not permit the integration of monitoring devices.
“These printed structures can be seeded with micro-cracks to develop highly sensitive sensors. Tiny cracks in their structures are used to track small vibrations in their surroundings,” says Ghaffarkhah. “These vibrations can monitor a multitude of human activities, including breathing, facial movements, talking as well as the contraction and relaxation of a muscle.”
Extrusion printing faced a significant difficulty that the UBCO researchers were able to resolve by starting over. Previously, it was challenging to produce extremely exact structures since the technology didn’t support high enough printing resolution.
“Compared to conventional manufacturing technologies, extrusion printing offers customization, reduction in materials waste, and rapid production, while opening up numerous opportunities for wearable and smart electronics,” explains Dr. Arjmand. “As extrusion printing techniques improve, it is opening the door to many unique innovations.”
Beyond EMI shields and wearable electronics, researchers are also looking into other uses for extrusion printing inks. With funding from an Alliance Grant from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and Zentek Limited, the study was published in Carbon.
