Rapid advancement of technology and innovation are making electronic devices an integral part of daily life. However, many components still suffer from being heavy, non-portable, and requiring complex, multistep fabrication processes. To address these challenges, lightweight and portable electronics, when manufactured using advanced additive manufacturing technologies, can drive the development of next-generation components for future devices.Different additive manufacturing techniques offer a range of advantages and drawbacks, but they collectively present significant potential for reducing material waste compared to traditional manufacturing methods. Moreover, these techniques facilitate the creation of complex structures with relative ease, making them a more efficient alternative in modern production processes. As a result, the development of 3D-printable, electronically conductive functional materials represents a key step toward next-generation device fabrication.We used direct ink writing as a 3D printing technique and developed composite inks based on a combination of cellulose nanofibers and various conductive nanomaterials, including PEDOT:PSS, carbon nanotubes (CNTs), and the 2D titanium carbide (Ti₃C₂) MXene. In these 3D-printable composite inks, the cellulose nanofibers not only provide the necessary rheological properties for extrusion-based printing but also ensure structural integrity in the printed structures.We show for example that MXene- 3D-printable ink could be crosslinked in a single step and demonstrated exceptional mechanical properties, withstanding loads 10,000 times its own weight in the rewetted state. These printed structures exhibited directional conductivity, confirming shear-induced alignment, and had specific capacitance of more than 200 F/g at 5 mV/s, underscoring their potential for energy storage applications, or as electrical conductors in advanced heterostructured 3D microstuctures.
WWSC is a joint research center between KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Chalmers University of Technology and Linköping University. The base is a donation from the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation. The Swedish industry is supporting WWSC via the platform Treesearch.
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Email: conference2025@wwsc.se