Lamination curing method for silver nanoparticle inkjet printed flexible electronics: design, uncertainty and performance analysis

In this paper, we propose a fast, simple, low-cost and high-performance curing method, “lamination curing”, to activate silver nano-particle inkjet printed flexible electronics, as a new and advantageous alternative to the existing curing methods. Proposed method is tested together with the most widely-used method in the literature (oven curing), and provided a lower sheet resistance and fabrication uncertainty. The method provided a major advantage of curing the low thermal resistant substrates at higher temperatures without distortion and under 3 min (~2 mm/s). Microstructure images approved the lamination curing provided a better aggregation, matching with the higher conductivity. Effects of different curing parameters on the resulting conductivity and uncertainty are analysed for both methods. Finally, printed patterns are applied and tested as angle sensors, and found to have more consistent angle sensing behaviors with higher overall sensing performance when lamination cured. We state lamination curing as an advantageous and reliable alternative to oven curing and other fast curing methods both for sensor and circuitry printing implementations.