Make Conductive Glue and Glue a Circuit

Step 1 Materials for the Conductive Glue and Circuit

Carbon Graphite, fine powder-Available in larger quantities at http://www.elementalscientific.net/

Available in smaller quantities at your local hardware store. It's called lubricating graphite and comes in small tubes or bottles. The brand I used successfully is called AGS Extra Fine Graphite, but no doubt there are other brands that will also work.

Performix(tm) liquid tape, black-Available at Wal-Mart or http://www.buytape.com

Mixing cups or glass container

1/4 and 1/2 teaspoon measuring spoons

Glass or plastic mixing rod

Cardboard for stencil

Toluol paint thinner (optional)-Available at most hardware stores.

Conductive thread (optional)-Available in larger spools at http://members.shaw.ca/ubik/thread/order.html It is available in smaller spools at
http://www.Inklesspress.com/electronic_parts_2.htm

Circuit materials of your choice

Comments

[jingerfinger]

I am trying out crushing 2B pencil leads and mixing them with paper glue. Just for those tiny projects. Hope I remember to report my findings :)

[perlygatekeeper]

graphite in pencil "leads" are a mix of clay and graphite. the softer the pencil the more graphite. you can buy pure graphite power sold as a lubricant, in small plastic tubes. (you want the black lube, it says it's graphite on the tube, they also sell a white lube which I think is a silicone product). You can buy this product at any good hobby store (it's used for pine wood derby cars) or at hardware stores.
It works well in locks.

If you insist on crushing some graphite yourself, art stores sell sticks of pure graphite for drawing, and some good calligraphy boxed sets come with graphite and a little ceramic bowl for making black "ink".

[jingerfinger]

Failed! I huess I could not crush the graphite fine enough. Will look for some poweder... :)

[beehard44]

try scraping pencil lead with the knife angled to the direction of scraping. works nicely for me

[bpfh]

Crushed graphite core from a AA/AAA battery?

[Goodhart]

The old c and d batteries used them too (non-alkaline)

[bpfh]

I actually found graphite powder lubricant in my local car part store on the same rack as spanners and not with the lube strangely enough.

I need to do some tests with it first...

[Goodhart]

yes, the rod in the old style c and d cells were carbon rods, and if cleaned properly could also be used as "cutting rods" for low amp arch welders :-)

[bpfh]

Cutting rods for arc welders. Not heard of that, but it piques my interest. Google here I come - A potential use for my welder !!!

[Goodhart]

Be forwarned; carbon cutting rods "burn up" fast, even the commercially made ones, for arch welders. Also, if you do use the ones from old carbon batteries, make sure they are cleaned VERY well (or wear a gas mask :-) as some of the fumes might be toxic.

[freerunnin1]

try a mortar and pestle to crush the graphite, keep continually grinding it until it is a fine powder.

[nwlaurie]

 Unfortunately pencils are made with a mix of graphite and clay so it's much less ikely to work like the original

[nwlaurie]

 after a bit of pondering (but no experimenting) I wonder if the leftover toner from a laser printer cartridge might work ...
(this is also very messy stuff for not inhaling)

[amando96]

 i tried toner, fell on the floor, used the vacuum machine, it goes through the holes in the bag of the vacuum, its worse now fml

[wizard124]

I tried this at one of my past jobs, but it was blue/cyan toner. After the vacuum I looked like a smurf. Thanks for the laugh!

[bpfh]

Laser toner is plastic.... it is melted onto paper. I doubt that apart from a terrible mess that you would get anything conductive from it!

[bpfh]

On the subject of cleaning, toner is static sensitive, so a brush and something with a large static charge could help (that his how a laser printer works; a laser charges a drum which then attracts the toner to the drum as it spins, then paper is then rolled over the drum and then heated to fuse the plastic to the paper.

Otherwise, you need a vac with a HEPA filter which may (or may not) help...

[venkboy]

Can you use sugar that is over heated, in an airtight container? That will be carbon I guess, and it is very powdery.

[aeson25]

 Please all be careful when using carbon graphite.  Avoid inhaling!

[subsonicnat]

Hi, I used Graphite for years, 30 I should think..
      I used it to form MOULDS for my engineering parts, just put some in a tin lid over a home made parafin stove flame (Small) , Mixed with sulpher, becomes very liquid when mixed, Resembles a hard Pencil:
       Not too hot or it will burn and ruin the mix and you have to start again:
it goes SOLID in Seconds when in contact with metal, it gave me the female of the bores I was working on, to within micro`s of the original, not much shrinkage at all::
        As regarding inhaleing the stuff, I am quite sane and have retired reasonbly healthy, too much scare mongering these days, worked with acetone and that never did any harm either, frightened of their own shadows today..
                              Asbestos NO..
                                                 Jus thought I`d let you all know.
PS: Yes it is Brittle to a point:

[mikey77]

Thank  you for the info. Could you tell us the ratio of graphite to sulfur that  works to create a mold able liquid? And why do you think it solidifies when in contact with a metal?

[subsonicnat]

It Hardens very quickly, it goes off very fast as the metal is colder:
    As for mixing just keep adding sulphor untill it becomes very runny, but there is a limit to how much you can add.. Try 50/50 for a start, it`s the sulphor that send it liquid.. I made a key in a mould for a bloke at work as he only had one key,, but the firm wanted to see what MODEl it was as they were very expensive and not many made as they were made when you bought the door::
     The trouble with it was you could not just take a mould as the nagles went in all directions.. it worked very well. I left it in the jelly mould to keep it safe while it was in the post..lol.
                    it  will mould anything really, it is brittle, but if it`s fairly big it takes some breaking... Best of it is you can use it again.lol...
                                                Have fun.
                                                                Colin:UK.

[jtobako]

As opposed to some other graphite?

Or is it significantly different than drawing with a pencil?

[aeson25]

Commercial carbon graphite powder is extremely fine and goes everywhere.  It is quite different (in physical form, not necessarily chemically) than the solid graphite that a pencil has.  It likes to linger in the air.

[jtobako]

By all means, avoid inhaling...or doing anything else dangerous like eating, drinking, standing up or sleeping.

Care to be more specific, or is this as dangerous as Dihydrogen Monoxide?

[aeson25]

If you check out a MSDS sheet, the long term effects lists it as a possible carcinogenic.  (short term use lists it just as an irritant.)  But if you really despise my comment as much as it seems, then by all means go ahead and inhale.

[jtobako]

I dislike random warnings without evidence of understanding of the level of danger.  "Carcinogenic" to what degree?  More than that of charbroiled steak but less than Plutonium?  Both are listed as carcinogens...

[d474rpr]

I just wanted to thank you for the time and research you took to provide this information. I can't stand it when everyone tries to prove you wrong or expand on the idea instead of just a simple thank you. Thank you.

[jsil]

Did you test pva (white) glue instead Performix ?

[mikey77]

Yes, If you would bother to read the comments below you will see where I already answered this question. White glue conducts but not as well as the mixes I have detailed. It is also quite brittle and cracks easily.

[homebowyerboy]

you do know that it advertises the liquid tape as an INSOLATOR right?

[mikey77]

Yes, Liquid Tape is an INSULATOR. This instructable is about how you can turn an insulator into a conductor. Liquid tape is an insulating rubber which can be turned into a conducting rubber with the addition of carbon graphite.

[readwl]

How well does this stuff work over a large surface? My application is a 6' x 42' area.

[kylechu]

What is the resistence of this compared to solder?

[mikey77]

The resistance of a good solder joint is about .02 ohms or very close to zero. If you twist or crimp the wires together and then glue them with this glue, the resistance will be comparable to a solder joint. If you just place the wires side by side and glue them, the resistance of the joint will be in the 5-8 ohm range. This works fine for signals or lighting regular LEDs. It could be too high for providing power to the circuit, in which case, you should make sure you have a good mechanical connection for the power coming in to your IC.

[rensrens]

thank you very much for all your information. and years of hard work. I will soon come back with my art with conductive glue circuits in it. grtz rens

[Kiteman]

Conductive thread?? I feel a clothing-based Instructable coming on...