Low-temperature silver-based ink for highly conductive paths through industrial printing processes suitable for thermally sensitive substrates and beyond

Printed electronics is experiencing tremendous growth in applications and industry interest worldwide. One of the most frequently raised problems is the high curing temperature of commercially available conductive composites. This study describes the process of developing a customized low-temperature silver-based, conductive ink dedicated to the flexographic-printing technique. The formulation was optimized through a series of tests including printing trials, resistance measurements, evaluation of printed samples surface features, and mechanical properties. The appropriate ink viscosity, substrate compatibility, and sinterability at low temperatures were achieved. The dependence of the achieved conductivity on the type of raw materials used was also witnessed and described. The conductivity of the printed inks was evaluated for various polymer vehicles. Samples printed on flexible PET and paper substrates were thoroughly investigated; ink adhesion, scratch resistance, and performance after cyclic bending have been assessed. Graphical abstract