Traditionally, one of the only drawbacks of plastic has been its lack of electrical conductivity. But, that’s starting to change with hybrid materials that can be processed with traditional production methods.
Plastic has many attributes, including light weight, corrosion resistance and design flexibility. An unlimited number of shapes and sizes of parts can easily be created with thousands of different grades of polymer. The material also appeals to engineers because it allows them to create single-piece components that simplify assembly.
Traditionally, one of the only drawbacks of plastic has been its lack of electrical conductivity. But, that’s starting to change. Nanotechnology is enabling engineers to create hybrid materials that can be processed with traditional production methods, such as injection molding and laser welding.
Polymers that are electrically conductive typically fall into three categories: