Localized Heat Generation for De-icing Applications by 3D Printing of Smart Nanocomposites

This paper presents an innovative strategy to manipulate heat flow within smart polymeric nanocomposites processed through 3D printing. The heating performance of these materials is heavily influenced by their electrical properties, impacting the heat generated via the Joule effect. By leveraging fused deposition modeling, a widely used thermoplastic polymer printing technology, the electrical conductivity of ABS filled with MWCNTs has been improved from 6.88*10–2 S/m of the spooled filament before the printing process to 1.19*101 S/m of a single-printed filament. The alignment of carbon nanotubes along the printing direction facilitated the creation of preferential nanometric paths for current flow as demonstrated by morphological investigation. The electrical resistance value measured when the current flows in the direction perpendicular to the printed filaments (7782 Ω) has resulted much higher than the case in which the current and printed filaments have the same direction (478 Ω). Based on these results, two different printing directions have been combined within the same specimen to design a heating map with distinct temperature zones, all subject to the same electrical stimulus. The resultant temperature gradient, maintaining a nearly stationary state for an extended period, presents numerous practical applications, particularly in the fields of building and transportation, where de-icing solutions are in high demand. This tailorable peculiarity in the design phase opens new possibilities for smart nanocomposites, offering promising advancements in de-icing technology.