RF characterization of 3D printed flexible materials - NinjaFlex Filaments

Abstract

The additive manufacturing technique of 3D printing has become increasingly popular for designs that have been previously unachievable due to cost and design complexity. Due to the special mechanical properties of NinjaFlex [1], there is great potential for its use in the 3D printed fabrications of numerous RF applications, such as strain sensors and wearable RF devices. This paper investigates for the first time the RF properties of various NinjaFlex filaments of varying densities utilizing the ring resonator approach, while these properties are verified on a 3D printed patch antenna topology.