Eco-Friendly, Recyclable Supramolecular Inks Incorporating Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes

Abstract

In contemporary society, with its emphasis on environmental stewardship, the development of “green” (eco-friendly) inks is of paramount importance. These inks are utilized across a broad spectrum of applications, ranging from the printing of packaging material to the 3D printing of functional components. This study explores the synthesis of eco-friendly, biodegradable supramolecular polymer materials predicated on ureido-pyrimidinone (UPy). The subsequent formulation of these materials into functional inks is achieved by the incorporation of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). These resultant inks exhibit outstanding photothermal conversion properties, robust electrical conductivity, intrinsic self-repair capabilities, and superior writability. Moreover, this research demonstrates the recyclability of MWCNTs within the ink matrix, exhibiting a recovery efficiency of ≈90%. Such a high recovery rate offers a novel perspective on the sustainable reuse of conductive fillers in polymer-based inks.