Data from research to develop chitosan-based electroconductive inks for 3D printing for EMI shielding and strain sensing applications

In this work, we developed an electroconductive ink for direct-ink-writing 3D printing that can be easily prepared without chemical reaction and exhibits excellent printability and material properties. This ink is based on chitosan as a binder, carbon fibers (CF) as a low-cost electroactive filler, and silk fibroin (SF) as a structural stabilizer. The 3D printability and flow behavior of the ink were investigated with different formulations. FTIR and TGA results showed interaction between chitosan chains and the amide groups of SF, while SEM revealed an interconnected network of CF in the composite. Using freeform 3D printing, the composite ink can form a designated pattern of electroconductive strips embedded in an elastomer, realizing an effective strain sensor for e.g. monitoring finger bending. The high printability of the ink can also be demonstrated by the printing of complex geometries without chemical or photoinitiated reactions. The composite materials are lightweight (density 0.59–0.29 g/cm3), electroconductive (2.84–2.64 s/cm), and inexpensive (20 USD/kg), with tensile strengths in the range 18.77–20.27 MPa. The 3D-printed composite had an EMI shielding effectiveness of 30–31 dB. Thus, the biopolymer-based ink developed here shows great potential for EMI shielding and other electronic applications.  
The data from this research include:

Density of materials developed in the project; 
EMI shielding effectiveness; 
FTIR spectra; 
Tensile mechanical properties; 
Particle size; 
Resistivity; 
Rheological results; 
Sample preparation details; 
SEM images; 
Strain sensor data; 
TGA results