3D Printed Electromagnetic Materials
PI: Patrick Grant
Department: Materials
3D printing allows objects with complex geometries to be fabricated without the need for expensive tooling, making it an increasingly prevalent technique in both scientific research and commercial manufacturing. Through the EPSRC Programme Grant EP/I034548/1, new materials have been developed at Oxford University to enable 3D printing of devices with bespoke electromagnetic properties, facilitating the application of 3D printing in the arena of electromagnetic devices. Unlike the majority of the work on 3D printed materials that has concerned structural alloys or polymers, our work has focused on more challenging but higher added value functional materials. The research was motivated by fabrication challenges in the academic fields of metamaterials and transformation optics but the results have broader impact in the commercial manufacturing of electronics and communications technologies such as printed circuit boards and microwave antennas. This project seeks to accelerate impact by engaging with end users, scaling up production, and putting in place mechanisms via which industry can obtain the materials.