Enhanced electrical and mechanical properties of silver nanoplatelet-based conductive features direct printed on a flexible substrate

Noncontact direct printed conductive silver patterns with an enhanced flexural and bending strength and a proper electrical resistivity were fabricated using silver nanoplatelet inks without any surfactants for particle dispersion on a polyimide film. The microstructure, electrical resistivity, and bending strength of conductive features based on the nanoplatelets are systematically investigated and compared to nanoparticles to demonstrate superior properties. Nanoplatelets stack neatly on the substrate after noncontact direct printing, which minimizes void formation during sintering. This microstructure results in excellent resistivity on external repetitive bending stress as well as sufficiently lower electrical resistivity. It is believed to be a general conductive material to fabricate the noncontact direct printed conductive patterns with excellent mechanical stability for various flexible electronics, including solar cells, displays, RFID, and sensors.