Publication: Dielectric Barrier Discharge for CNT-Loaded Interface Heating

A new paper from Brandon Sweeney and collaborators, published in Nano Letters, demonstrates a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) applicator for heating carbon nanotube-loaded interfaces and enhancing the bond strength of 3D-printed parts.

Citation: Sweeney, C. B. et al. "Dielectric Barrier Discharge Applicator for Heating CNT-Loaded Interfaces and Enhancing 3D-Printed Bond Strength." *Nano Letters* 20(4), 2310–2315 (2020).

What the Research Shows

The paper demonstrates that a dielectric barrier discharge — an atmospheric-pressure plasma generated between two dielectric-coated electrodes — can selectively heat CNT-loaded polymer interfaces without requiring the part to pass through a microwave cavity. This approach enables post-print welding of 3D-printed composite parts in a flexible, ambient-pressure configuration.

Key findings include:

• DBD-treated interfaces show significantly enhanced interlayer bond strength compared to untreated controls
• The heating is highly localized to CNT-loaded regions, minimizing thermal degradation of surrounding material
• The approach is compatible with standard 3D-printed part geometries and can be implemented as a post-processing step

Significance

This work extends the electromagnetic heating platform beyond microwave and RF approaches to include atmospheric plasma, broadening the design space for selectively heating CNT-loaded polymer systems. It represents a further step in the program of research connecting nanomaterial-enabled electromagnetic processing to practical improvements in additive manufacturing.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.nanolett.9b04718