Graphene-Ag nanohexagonal platelets-based ink with high electrical properties at low sintering temperatures

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Electrical Engineering

Background:

• Printed electronics utilize functional conductive inks for flexible circuits.
• Existing conductive inks face challenges in achieving high electrical properties at low sintering temperatures.
• Silver nanohexagonal platelets (AgNHPs) are a key component in novel conductive inks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop conductive inks with improved electrical properties at low sintering temperatures.
• To investigate the effect of graphene (GE) content on the performance of AgNHP-based conductive inks.
• To explore the potential of these inks for applications like flexible touch screens.

Main Methods:

• Inkjet printing of conductive inks composed of AgNHPs and varying graphene content.
• Sintering of printed patterns at low temperatures (e.g., 50 °C and 150 °C).
• Measurement of electrical resistivity of the sintered patterns.

Main Results:

• Graphene addition improves electrical conductivity, especially at lower sintering temperatures.
• Optimal graphene content (0.15 mg ml⁻¹) yields the lowest resistivity.
• At 150 °C, GE-AgNHP ink resistivity is 14% of AgNHP ink; at 50 °C, it's 2%.
• Resistivity increases with higher graphene content beyond the optimal level.

Conclusions:

• Graphene incorporation is a viable strategy to enhance low-temperature sintering performance of AgNHP conductive inks.
• The developed GE-AgNHP conductive inks show promise for advanced flexible electronic devices.
• This research contributes to the development of next-generation flexible touch screens and other printed electronics.