Researchers at the University of British Columbia (UBC) have developed a new compound that they claim could revolutionize telecommunications by opening the door to a new "space age" antenna. The new MXENES-based material is lightweight and can be 3D printed, providing the same conductive properties as traditional metal components.
Researchers at UBC and Drexel University have discovered a way to combine a two-dimensional compound called MXenes with polymers. The researchers claim that the new compound could be used as a substitute for its metal counterpart.
This new compound has the potential to greatly enhance communication technologies, including antennas, waveguides, and filters. Waveguides, Dr. Mohammad Zarifi, a researcher at the UBC Okanagan Microelectronics and Gigahertz Applications (OMEGA) Laboratory, explained that they are ubiquitous and critical to global telecommunications.
A waveguide is a structure that directs sound and light waves in communication equipment and electrical appliances. Due to their conductive properties in different sizes, they are usually made of metal. However, using this new compound, the team developed new components with similar properties to metal components. However, they are 10 to 20 times lighter, cheaper, and easier to manufacture.
In an ever-evolving technological environment, waveguides – the foundation of the devices we use every day – are undergoing a transformative transformation," explains Dr. Zarifi. "From the familiar hum of microwave ovens to the wide coverage of satellite communications, these indispensable components have traditionally been made of metals such as silver, brass and copper," he added.
At the heart of the MXENES discovery is an emerging family of two-dimensional materials. Chief among them is that in telecommunications, there is something called titanium carbide MXENE.
Think of MXENES as nano-thin conductive sheets that can be dispersed in water-like clay," said Aj.Dr. Yury Gogotsi, director of the Drexel Institute for Nanomaterials, explained.
The material can be dispersed in pure water and can be applied to almost any surface without additives. After drying in air, the polymer surface conducts electricity. It's like metallization at room temperature, there's no melting or evaporating of metal, there's no vacuum or temperature," he added.
Omid Niksan, a PhD student in the UBC School of Engineering and first author of the study, explains how integrating MXenes into 3D-printed nylon-based parts can improve the efficiency of channel-like structures in directing microwaves to frequency bands.
This can have a significant impact on the design and manufacture of electronic communication equipment in the aerospace and satellite industries, especially since it can be achieved through lightweight additively manufactured components.
Whether in space-based communication devices or medical imaging devices like MRI machines, these lightweight MXene-coated polymer structures have the potential to replace traditional manufacturing methods, such as metalworking, to create channel structures," he added.
The research team has already obtained a provisional patent for its new polymer-based MXENE coated components. The team, especially Dr. Zarifi, is also very excited about its potential.
While there is more research to be done, we are excited about the potential of this innovative material," Dr Zafiri said. "Our goal is to explore and develop the possibilities of 3D printed antennas and communication devices in space. By reducing the payload of the shuttle transporter, it gives engineers more options," he added.