Note: When clicking on a Digital Object Identifier (DOI) number, you will be taken to an external site maintained by the publisher.
Some full text articles may not yet be available without a charge during the embargo (administrative interval).
What is a DOI Number?
Some links on this page may take you to non-federal websites. Their policies may differ from this site.
-
Flexible electronics on low-temperature substrates like paper are very appealing for their use in disposable and biocompatible electronic applications and areas like healthcare, wearables, and consumer electronics. Plasma-jet printing uses a dielectric barrier discharge plasma to focus aerosolized nanoparticles onto a target substrate. The same plasma can be used to change the properties of the printed material and even sinter in situ . In this work, we demonstrate one-step deposition of gold structures onto flexible and low-temperature substrates without the need for thermal or photonic post-processing. We also explore the plasma effect on the deposition of the gold nanoparticle ink. The plasma voltage is optimized for the sintering of the gold nanoparticles, and a simple procedure for manufacturing traces with increased adhesion and conductivity is presented, with a peak conductivity of 6.2 x10 5 S/m. PJP-printed gold LED interconnects and microheaters on flexible substrates are developed to demonstrate the potential of this single-step sintered deposition of conductive traces on low-temperature substrates.more » « less
-
Additive manufacturing has become a promising method for the fabrication of inexpensive, green, flexible electronics. Printed electronics on low-temperature substrates like paper are very appealing for the flexible hybrid electronics market for their use in disposable and biocompatible electronic applications and in areas like packaging, wearables, and consumer electronics. Plasma-jet printing uses a dielectric barrier discharge plasma to focus aerosolized nanoparticles onto a target substrate. The same plasma can be used to change the properties of the printed material and even sinter in situ. The technology can also be utilized in space and microgravity environments since the plasma-assisted deposition is independent of gravity. In this work, we show plasma voltage effect on deposition of gold nanoparticles and direct printing of flexible, conductive gold structures onto low-temperature paper substrates without the need for thermal or photonic post-processing. The effects of plasma parameters on the conductivity and flexible reliability of the printed films are studied, and a paper-based LED electrode is demonstrated.more » « less
-
Abstract Thermoelectric generators are an environmentally friendly and reliable solid‐state energy conversion technology. Flexible and low‐cost thermoelectric generators are especially suited to power flexible electronics and sensors using body heat or other ambient heat sources. Bismuth telluride (Bi2Te3) based thermoelectric materials exhibit their best performance near room temperature making them an ideal candidate to power wearable electronics and sensors using body heat. In this report, Bi2Te3thin films are deposited on a flexible polyimide substrate using low‐cost and scalable manufacturing methods. The synthesized Bi2Te3nanocrystals have a thickness of 35 ± 15 nm and a lateral dimension of 692 ± 186 nm. Thin films fabricated from these nanocrystals exhibit a peak power factor of 0.35 mW m−1·K−2at 433 K, which is among the highest reported values for flexible thermoelectric films. In order to evaluate the flexibility of the thin films, static and dynamic bending tests are performed while monitoring the change in electrical resistivity. After 1000 bending cycles over a 50 mm radius of curvature, the change in electrical resistance of the film is 23%. Using Bi2Te3solutions, the ability to print thermoelectric thin films with an aerosol jet printer is demonstrated, highlighting the potential of additive manufacturing techniques for fabricating flexible thermoelectric generators.