Stereolithography of Electrostatic Discharge Rubber Composites for Soft Robotic Gripper Applications

ABSTRACT

Electrostatic discharge (ESD) materials are critical for protecting sensitive electronic components from static electricity, which can lead to latent defects or catastrophic failures. However, developing suitable ESD materials for 3D printing functional components such as grippers remains challenging. This study focuses on the development of ESD‐capable soft robotic grippers using rubber‐based composites fabricated through stereolithography (SLA). The effect of carbon nanoparticle (CN) incorporation on the electrostatic discharge properties of SLA printed rubber composites was thoroughly investigated to evaluate the feasibility of SLA in fabricating functional grippers with appropriate ESD performance. The results revealed that the rubber resin with 0.03 wt.% CN (0.03 CN) exhibited ideal resistivity (9.83 × 10 ⁷ Ohms), tensile strength (1.3 MPa), and minimal dimensional deviations. From TGA results, it was found that the onset temperature of 3D printed rubber composites decreased with the addition of CN particles, which is associated with the enhancement of thermal conductivity of the composites. This study demonstrated that SLA can successfully fabricate soft ESD materials, offering a promising solution for 3D‐printed grippers in robotic arm applications, where controlled electrostatic properties are essential for safe and reliable operation.