| Abstract Scope |
The demand for lightweight, scalable, rapidly fabricated, and cost-effective radio frequency components is accelerating due to their emerging applications in aerospace, satellite communications, wearable and portable wireless systems. Traditionally, metals have been used for manufacturing communication devices, from radio frequency identification (RFID) tags and antennas to waveguides. This work describes how metallic MXenes, such as Ti3C2, can be used in fully additive manufacturing of antennas, reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RIS) and waveguides for operation in a wide frequency range. Aqueous colloidal Ti3C2Tx MXene with no additives or surfactants can be used to form freestanding metallic films that can be patterned, or print RFID tags or antennas on almost any surface. It can also be used for producing conformal, conductive coatings on the surface of polymeric 3-dimensional (3D) printed horn antennas and waveguides. Dip or spray coating can be used, making the process simple, inexpensive and environmentally friendly. The MXene antennas and waveguides offer excellent performance, which is very close to that of bulk metals, but at a lower weight, using much easier manufacturing processes and at a lower cost. |