Inkjet\nPrinting of Silver Nanowire Networks

Abstract

The\ndevelopment of printed electronics will require the ability to deposit\na wide range of nanomaterials using printing techniques. Here we demonstrate\nthe controlled deposition of networks of silver nanowires in well-defined\npatterns by inkjet printing from an optimized isopropyl alcohol–diethylene\nglycol dispersion. We find that great care must be taken while producing\nthe ink and during solvent evaporation. The resultant networks have\ngood electrical properties, displaying sheet resistances as low as\n8 Ω/□ and conductivities as high as 10⁵ S/m.\nSuch optimized performances were achieved for line widths of 1–10\nmm and network thicknesses of 0.5–2 μm deposited from\n∼10–20 passes while using processing temperatures of\nno more than 110 °C. Thin networks are semitransparent with dc\nto optical conductivity ratios of ∼40.