Effects of Additive Loading on Electromagnetic Properties in 3D Printing

The DON26BZ01-NV034 project aims to assess the effects of additives in 3D-printed materials on electromagnetic (EM) properties, particularly for weapon system components. The objective is to determine how additives alter material properties and EM behavior, and what changes are needed in the 3D printing process to achieve desired EM property modifications, such as attenuation of radio frequency (RF) radiation. An initial use case involves an antenna radome for a weapon system navigation receiver. The project is divided into three phases: Phase I focuses on producing and characterizing additive-incorporated 3D-material substrates; Phase II involves printing and assessing antenna radome samples with various additives and concentrations, considering structural and thermal performance; and Phase III entails printing full-scale antenna radome prototypes for EM, structural, and thermal characterization, and demonstrating rapid prototyping for in-theater replacement parts. This research is critical for developing advanced materials for military applications and has dual-use potential for commercial antenna designs requiring high rejection, tight bandpass, and improved thermal performance.