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Emerging Carbon and Post-Carbon Nanomaterial Inks for Printed Electronics
Ethan B Secor1, Mark C Hersam1
1†Department of Materials Science and Engineering, ‡Department of Chemistry, and §Department of Medicine, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States.
The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters
|August 12, 2015
Summary
Carbon and post-carbon nanomaterial inks enable advanced printed electronics with desirable properties for flexible, low-cost applications. Innovations in single-walled carbon nanotubes and graphene inks, alongside emerging materials, pave the way for next-generation devices.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Electronics Engineering
Background:
- Carbon and post-carbon nanomaterials offer unique electrical, optical, chemical, and mechanical properties for printed electronics.
- These materials enable low-cost, large-area electronic functionalities on flexible substrates.
- Recent advancements focus on developing printable inks from these nanomaterials.
Discussion:
- Monodisperse semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes are suitable for thin-film transistor channels using inkjet and aerosol jet printing.
- Inkjet, gravure, and screen-printable graphene-based inks are effective for electrodes and interconnects in printed circuits.
- Post-carbon nanomaterials like boron nitride and transition-metal dichalcogenides offer complementary properties for advanced applications.
Key Insights:
- High performance in prototype devices highlights the potential of nanomaterial inks.
- Materials integration challenges in complex systems require further research and development.
- The development of printable inks is crucial for realizing the full potential of these materials.
Outlook:
- Emerging research in three-dimensional printing of nanomaterial inks opens possibilities for nonplanar devices.
- Continued innovation in nanomaterial ink formulation and printing techniques will drive the next generation of printed electronics.
- The combination of advanced material properties and versatile printing methods provides a powerful platform for future electronic applications.
