Printing Conductive Lines and Surfaces on Different Substrates Using Inkjet Printing Method

Printing technology is known as one of the most suitable methods for adding electrical functionalities to textiles and inkjet method because of advantages such as low cost, availability, flexibility, … is a special method amongst all available printing techniques. This is the objective of this research to employ the novel method of using reactive inks in order to react with each other after being jetted onto the substrate for fabrication of simple electric circuit components. In this method, dilute solution of silver salt and a reducing solution are subsequently printed on each substrate. Oxidation-Reduction reaction between two inks deposits metallic silver nanoparticles by in situ reduction of silver salt forming an electrically conductive surface. The best reducing agent for inkjet deposition of silver was found to be ascorbic acid at normal pH. Conductive lines and patterns were fabricated on paper, plastic films and textile fabrics using the above technique and the effect of different parameters on their final conductivity were investigated and tried to gain the highest possible conductivities on each substrate. Based on our observations and results; inkjet technology posses very high potential for fabrication of silver nanoparticles containing patterns with conductivities up to 5x105 S/m for use as circuitry components.