3D printing has become one of the most exciting technologies in the world. Today, it is used to make toys, tools, machine parts, medical implants, and even houses. The technology works by building an object layer by layer using melted plastic or other materials.
Now, scientists have made an unexpected discovery. They found that the process of 3D printing naturally creates electric charges on the printed object. This hidden effect was not fully understood before, but it could help create smarter electronic devices, better sensors, and new materials in the future.
The research, led by Lorenzett and his team, is the first detailed study to explore how electrical charges are created during 3D printing. Their findings could improve both 3D printing technology and our understanding of electricity.
A Hidden Effect Inside Every 3D Print
Most people think a 3D printer simply melts plastic and places it layer by layer to create an object. But the process is much more complex.
Inside the printer, the plastic is heated, pushed through a small nozzle, cooled, and then sticks to the previous layer. During this process, the material experiences heat, pressure, movement, and friction.
The researchers discovered that these actions cause the printed object to collect electrostatic charges, also known as static electricity.
This means that every time a 3D printer makes an object, it is also creating electrical charges on its surface.
What Is Static Electricity?
Most people have experienced static electricity in everyday life.
For example, after walking on a carpet, you may get a small electric shock when touching a metal door. A balloon rubbed on your hair can stick to a wall. Clothes taken out of a clothes dryer often stick together because of static electricity.
These effects happen because tiny electric charges move from one surface to another.
The scientists found that similar charge transfer also happens during 3D printing.
Why Does 3D Printing Create Electric Charges?
According to the researchers, several things happen during printing that help create these charges.
First, the plastic rubs against the inside of the printer nozzle. This friction can transfer electric charges.
Second, the plastic melts at a high temperature and then cools down quickly. These temperature changes also affect how charges are created and stored.
Third, the plastic changes its shape while being pushed through the nozzle. This movement also plays a role in building up electrical charge.
Since all these processes happen together, a 3D-printed object naturally becomes electrically charged.
The Printing Settings Make a Big Difference
One of the most interesting discoveries was that the amount of electric charge depends on how the object is printed.
The scientists tested different printing conditions and found that several factors affect the final charge.
Printing Speed
The speed of the printer changes how much charge is produced.
In some cases, faster printing created more charge, while in others, slower printing changed the charging pattern. The result depended on the type of material being used.
Printing Temperature
The temperature of the printer nozzle also affects charge generation.
When plastic melts and cools at different temperatures, the amount of electricity stored inside the printed object changes.
This means that simply changing the printing temperature can increase or decrease the electrical charge.
Printing Direction
Even the direction in which the printer places each layer matters.
Objects printed in different directions can end up with different charge patterns, even if they have exactly the same shape.
This shows that small changes during printing can have a big effect on the electrical properties of the final product.
Printing Surface
The surface on which the object is printed also plays an important role.
Different printing beds interact differently with the hot plastic. Because of this, some surfaces create more electrical charge than others.
Different Plastics Behave Differently
The researchers also tested different types of printing materials.
They found that every plastic behaves differently.
Some materials collect large amounts of electrical charge, while others collect much less.
This means that manufacturers may one day choose printing materials not only for their strength or flexibility but also for their electrical properties.
Measuring the Charge Is Easier Than Expected
Usually, studying tiny electrical charges requires expensive scientific equipment.
However, the research team developed a simple method that allows these charges to be measured using ordinary digital multimeters.
This is good news because it makes the research much easier and more affordable.
Schools, universities, research laboratories, and industries can now study electrostatic charging without buying costly equipment.
Scientists Can Also Control the Charge
The researchers did not stop after discovering the electrical charges.
They also found ways to control them.
They treated the printing surface using methods such as corona charging and triboelectrification.
These techniques allowed them to increase or reduce the amount of charge produced during printing.
Being able to control static electricity is important because too much charge can sometimes attract dust or affect the quality of printed objects.
At the same time, controlled charges can also be useful for making special electronic devices.
Printing Materials That Store Electricity
One of the biggest achievements of the study was the successful creation of quasi-electrets.
An electret is a material that can store electrical charge for a very long time. It works in a similar way to a magnet, but instead of storing a magnetic field, it stores an electric field.
Electrets are already used in many everyday products, including microphones, sensors, air filters, and medical devices.
The researchers showed that similar materials can now be produced directly using a 3D printer.
This could make manufacturing electronic parts much easier and less expensive.
Why Is This Discovery Important?
At first, static electricity may seem like a small and unimportant effect.
But scientists believe it could become very useful in the future.
If engineers learn how to control these electrical charges, they could create new types of smart materials and electronic devices.
Possible future applications include:
Smart sensors
Wearable electronics
Flexible electronic devices
Medical monitoring systems
Energy-harvesting devices
Air filtration systems
Robotic components
Internet of Things (IoT) devices
Instead of treating static electricity as a problem, future engineers may use it as a useful feature.
A New Direction for 3D Printing Research
This discovery also opens a completely new area of scientific research.
By studying how electrical charges form during printing, scientists can better understand how materials behave when they melt, flow, cool, and harden.
This knowledge could help improve printing quality, reduce manufacturing problems, and create stronger and more advanced materials.
It also connects two important fields of science—3D printing and electrostatics—that were rarely studied together before.
Looking Ahead
As 3D printing continues to grow, scientists are discovering that the technology is capable of much more than simply making plastic objects.
This study shows that every printed object also carries hidden electrical properties that can be measured, controlled, and even used in useful ways.
In the future, this discovery could lead to smarter electronics, better sensors, improved medical devices, and new materials that store electricity.
What was once considered an invisible side effect of 3D printing may soon become one of its greatest advantages. By understanding and controlling these hidden electric charges, researchers are opening the door to a new generation of advanced 3D-printed technologies.
Reference: Lorenzett, E., da Campo, Y.A.S., Neto, M.A.F. et al. Direct observation of electrostatic charging in 3D printing. Nat Commun 16, 7727 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-61566-8
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