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Surface and Interface Designs in Copper-Based Conductive Inks for Printed/Flexible Electronics.
Daisuke Tomotoshi1, Hideya Kawasaki1
1Department of Chemistry and Materials Engineering, Faculty of Chemistry, Materials and Bioengineering, Kansai University, Suita-shi, Osaka 564-8680, Japan.
Nanomaterials (Basel, Switzerland)
|September 2, 2020
Summary
Copper-based inks offer cost-effective, high conductivity for printed electronics. Strategies to prevent copper oxidation and enable low-temperature sintering are key for developing advanced conductive patterns on flexible substrates.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Electronics Engineering
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Copper (Cu) is a promising metal for conductive inks/pastes in printed/flexible electronics due to its high conductivity, cost-effectiveness, and abundance compared to silver (Ag).
- Cu-based inks face challenges with oxidation instability, forming insulating copper oxide (Cu₂O, CuO) layers that reduce conductivity and hinder particle sintering.
- Existing research focuses on overcoming these limitations for improved performance in flexible electronic applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review surface and interface design strategies for copper-based conductive inks/pastes.
- To highlight methods for enhancing oxidation resistance and achieving low-temperature sintering of copper.
- To enable the fabrication of highly conductive copper patterns/electrodes on flexible substrates.
Main Methods:
- Classification of copper-based inks/pastes and analysis of their oxidation behaviors.
- Description of surface control approaches including polymers, small ligands, core-shell structures, and surface activation.
- Discussion of recently developed copper-based mixed inks/pastes and their synergistic effects.
Main Results:
- Surface and interface designs effectively improve oxidation resistance and enable low-temperature sintering of copper.
- Various surface modification techniques, including polymers, ligands, core-shell structures, and surface activation, are presented.
- Mixed copper-based inks/pastes demonstrate synergistic effects, leading to enhanced performance over single-component systems.
Conclusions:
- Surface and interface engineering are crucial for developing stable and highly conductive copper-based inks/pastes.
- Advanced strategies can overcome copper's oxidation issues and facilitate low-temperature processing for flexible electronics.
- Future research should focus on further optimizing these designs for broader applications in printed electronics.
