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Rheologically Assisted Design of Conductive Adhesives for Stencil Printing on PCB.
Ângelo D M Silva1, Mariana M Silva1, Hugo Figueiredo2
1Instituto de Polímeros e Compósitos (IPC), Universidade do Minho, 4804-533 Guimarães, Portugal.
Materials (Basel, Switzerland)
|December 24, 2021
Summary
New eco-friendly conductive adhesives using epoxy, carbon nanotubes (CNT), and exfoliated graphite (EG) offer a lead-free alternative for electronic component soldering on printed circuit boards (PCBs). Their rheological properties are optimized for stencil printing applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Electronics Manufacturing
Background:
- Growing demand for lead-free, environmentally friendly solder paste alternatives in electronics.
- Limitations of traditional solder pastes in meeting eco-friendly and performance requirements.
Purpose of the Study:
- To design and develop novel electrically conductive adhesives (ECAs) as sustainable replacements for solder pastes.
- To investigate the rheological, thermal, and electrical properties of epoxy-based ECAs incorporating carbon nanotubes (CNT) and exfoliated graphite (EG).
Main Methods:
- Formulation of epoxy/CNT/EG composite adhesives.
- Rheological analysis using a defined protocol to assess viscoelastic properties for stencil printing.
- Characterization of thermal and electrical conductivity of the developed ECAs.
- Benchmarking against commercial solder paste.
Main Results:
- Successful development of epoxy/CNT/EG composite formulations with suitable rheological characteristics for stencil printing.
- Demonstrated potential for ECAs to match or exceed the performance of conventional solder pastes.
- Characterized thermal and electrical properties indicating suitability for PCB applications.
Conclusions:
- Developed ECAs show promise as a lead-free, eco-friendly alternative to solder pastes in PCB stencil printing.
- The study provides a viable material solution for sustainable electronics manufacturing.
- Optimized rheology is critical for successful deposition and performance of ECAs.
Keywords:
carbon nanotubeselectrically conductive adhesivesexfoliated graphiteprinted circuit boardsrheologysolder pastestencil printingyield stress
