<p>The material you are describing sounds very similar to the material used for <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metal_injection_molding" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Metal Injection Molding</a> except that you want to print the material rather than molding it.  </p>

<p>A company called MarkForged is making a printer called the <a href="http://www.desktop3dprinter.com/3d-printers/markforged-metal-x.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Metal X</a> that uses this technique of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7IsFQLjRNU&amp;t=1s" rel="nofollow noreferrer">printing &amp; sintering to produce solid metal parts</a>.  Here is a <a href="http://www.additivemanufacturing.media/articles/markforged-metal-printer-sintering-can-wait" rel="nofollow noreferrer">article describing more details about the printer</a>.</p>

<p>It sounds really cool.</p>

<p><strong>If you investigate papers around those processes you may find what you are looking for since they are so related to what you are trying to do.</strong></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-07-16T23:24:32.673Z
2017-07-26T06:01:34.500Z
2017-07-26T06:01:34.500Z
markshancock
<p>I currently doing research on 3d printing on circuit boards. The technique we are using is to put a conductive material, I.e ceramics/metal in a gel/polymer, to print the suspension and then when is complete to sinter away the gel/polymer. The problem I am having is the suspension needs to be thixotropic. Furthermore it must have a high viscosity i.e 500 cpa under low shear and to quickly drop to low viscosity as the shear increases</p>

<p>So far the closest thing I have been able to find is in this <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0955221909003860" rel="nofollow noreferrer">paper</a> but if you look at the graphs none of them have a high enough viscosity and more importantly the drop to low viscosity under increasing shear is too shallow.</p>

<p>I have tried to use models like the ones in this <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0377025714001463#s0055" rel="nofollow noreferrer">paper</a> but I am finding it quite difficult.</p>

<p>Does anyone have any suggestions to find more materials like the one I require? Thanks</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-07-26T10:56:44.623Z
Would something like [this conductive paste](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4IGQ5JMP6g) work?
Davo
<print-material>
High-viscosity gel/polymer to suspend conductive material while it is being printed
Intent Filters
# High-viscosity gel/polymer to suspend conductive material while it is being printed

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-07-16)

I currently doing research on 3d printing on circuit boards. The technique we are using is to put a conductive material, I.e ceramics/metal in a gel/polymer, to print the suspension and then when is complete to sinter away the gel/polymer. The problem I am having is the suspension needs to be thixotropic. Furthermore it must have a high viscosity i.e 500 cpa under low shear and to quickly drop to low viscosity as the shear increases

So far the closest thing I have been able to find is in this [paper](http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0955221909003860) but if you look at the graphs none of them have a high enough viscosity and more importantly the drop to low viscosity under increasing shear is too shallow.

I have tried to use models like the ones in this [paper](http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0377025714001463#s0055) but I am finding it quite difficult.

Does anyone have any suggestions to find more materials like the one I require? Thanks

**Tags:** print-material
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Would something like [this conductive paste](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4IGQ5JMP6g) work?  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2017-07-16. Score: 2

The material you are describing sounds very similar to the material used for [Metal Injection Molding](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metal_injection_molding) except that you want to print the material rather than molding it.

A company called MarkForged is making a printer called the [Metal X](http://www.desktop3dprinter.com/3d-printers/markforged-metal-x.html) that uses this technique of [printing & sintering to produce solid metal parts](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7IsFQLjRNU&t=1s). Here is a [article describing more details about the printer](http://www.additivemanufacturing.media/articles/markforged-metal-printer-sintering-can-wait).

It sounds really cool.

**If you investigate papers around those processes you may find what you are looking for since they are so related to what you are trying to do.**


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