A novel highly electrically conductive composite resin for stereolithography

The use of 3D printing for scientific and industrial applications is rapidly increasing and, simultaneously, is growing the interest toward printable smart materials. It is known that using a conductive filler, e.g. nanoparticles, metal powders or composite polymers, it is possible to produce a more electrically conductive printable material. The PEDOT:PSS polymer has been used extensively, from bioelectronics to energy storage devices, for its conductivity and biocompatibility. In this work, a highly electrically conductive resin for Stereolithography was developed using a dispersion of PEDOT particles, extracted from Clevios™ PH1000 through a simple separation process, in a PEGDA matrix. The resin composition was optimized in terms of photoinitiator, surfactant and filler concentration. Furthermore, optimal printing parameters were determined for this composite resin, obtaining a printed object with appreciable electrical conductivity (0.05 S cm−1) and mechanical properties (Young modulus 21 MPa).