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Planar and Three-Dimensional Printing of Conductive Inks
Published on: December 9, 2011
Flexibility of silver conductive circuits screen-printed on a polyimide substrate
Kwang-Seok Kim1, Young-Chul Lee, Jong-Woong Kim
1School of Advanced Materials Science and Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, 300 Cheoncheon-dong, Jangan-gu, Suwon 440-746, Republic of Korea.
Journal of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology
|April 2, 2011
Summary
Screen-printed silver circuits on polyimide films showed better folding endurance with lower sintering temperatures and shorter times. However, these conditions resulted in poorer electrical properties, requiring further research for optimization.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Electrical Engineering
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Screen printing is a viable technique for fabricating silver (Ag) circuits on flexible polyimide (PI) films.
- Optimizing sintering conditions is crucial for balancing the mechanical and electrical properties of these circuits.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of varying sintering temperatures and times on the microstructural evolution and folding endurance of screen-printed Ag circuits.
- To analyze the relationship between sintering parameters, electrical resistance changes during folding, and overall circuit performance.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of Ag circuits on PI films using screen printing with commercial Ag nanopaste.
- Systematic variation of sintering temperature (150–300°C) and time (15 min–1 hour).
- Measurement of folding endurance using a Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)-type folding endurance tester and monitoring electrical resistance during folding.
Main Results:
- Lower sintering temperatures and shorter sintering times led to improved folding endurance.
- Microstructural analysis revealed changes influencing mechanical flexibility.
- Electrical characteristics, such as conductivity, were generally compromised at sintering conditions favoring higher flexibility.
Conclusions:
- There is a trade-off between folding endurance and electrical properties in screen-printed Ag circuits.
- Optimal sintering conditions for enhanced mechanical flexibility negatively impact electrical performance.
- Further research is needed to simultaneously enhance both electrical and mechanical properties using direct printing technologies.
