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Updated: Aug 9, 2025
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A Fabrication Method for Highly Stretchable Conductors with Silver Nanowires
Published on: January 21, 2016
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Screen-Printed Corrosion-Resistant and Long-Term Stable Stretchable Electronics Based on AgAu Microflake Conductors
Ulrika Boda1,2, Jan Strandberg1, Jens Eriksson3
1Bio and Organic Electronics Unit, Department of Smart Hardware, Digital Systems Division, RISE Research Institutes of Sweden AB, 602 21 Norrköping, Sweden.
ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
|February 23, 2023
Summary
Researchers developed cost-effective, screen-printable inks using gold-coated silver flakes for stable, stretchable electronics. These new conductors offer excellent conductivity and durability for wearable devices like LED and NFC circuits.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Electrical Engineering
Background:
- Stretchable electronics require stable conductive inks for commercial viability.
- Current silver-based inks suffer from degradation due to tarnishing and corrosion.
- High-throughput methods like screen printing are crucial for market adoption.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a cost-efficient and scalable method for producing stable, screen-printable stretchable conductors.
- To enhance the durability and reliability of silver-based conductive inks.
- To enable the practical application of stretchable electronics in wearable devices.
Main Methods:
- Chemically coating silver flakes with a thin layer of gold.
- Formulating screen-printable inks using these AgAu flakes.
- Testing the conductivity, strain tolerance, and stability of printed conductors.
- Demonstrating functional wearable circuits (LED, NFC).
Main Results:
- Achieved conductivity of 8500 S cm-1 in printed stretchable AgAu conductors.
- Conductors maintained conductivity up to 250% strain.
- Demonstrated excellent resistance to corrosion and tarnishing.
- Successfully fabricated wearable LED and NFC circuits.
Conclusions:
- Gold-coated silver flakes provide a scalable and cost-effective solution for stable stretchable conductors.
- The developed inks are suitable for high-throughput manufacturing via screen printing.
- This approach enhances the long-term functionality of wearable electronics in diverse environments.
