Effect of silicon dioxide on conductivity and formability of graphene oxide/thermoplastic polyurethane composites fabricated by laser sintering

Abstract

laser sintering (LS), can be used to develop customized electronic components for wearable electronic devices. However, the conductivity and molding performance of carbonized LS parts has limitations. Thus, this study evaluates the effect of adding silicon dioxide (SiO2) to composites to enhance the electrical conductivity and molding performance of graphene oxide/thermoplastic polyurethane carbonized parts prepared by laser sintering. In particular, the effect of SiO2 content from 0 wt% to 2 wt% on the carbonized parts was investigated through scanning electron microscopy, resistivity tests, and shrinkage measurements. The results show that under specific quantities, adding SiO2 can effectively improve the electrical conductivity of carbonized sintered parts and shrinkage due to carbonization. Thus, the results provide new ideas for developing customized electronic components.