A method for sintering nanoparticles by applying voltage is presented. This electrical sintering method is demonstrated using silver nanoparticle structures ink-jet-printed onto temperature-sensitive photopaper. The conductivity of the printed nanoparticle layer increases by more than five orders of magnitude during the sintering process, with the final conductivity reaching 3.7 × 10(7) S m(-1) at best. Due to a strong positive feedback induced by the voltage boundary condition, the process is very rapid-the major transition occurs within 2 µs. The best obtained conductivity is two orders of magnitude better than for the equivalent structures oven-sintered at the maximum tolerable temperature of the substrate. Additional key advantages of the method include the feasibility for patterning, systematic control of the final conductivity and in situ process monitoring. The method offers a generic tool for electrical functionalization of nanoparticle structures.

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Organic and printed electronics integration has the potential to revolutionise many technologies, including biomedical diagnostics. This work demonstrates the successful integration of multiple printed electronic functionalities into a single device capable of the measurement of hydrogen peroxide, and total cholesterol. The single-use device employed printed electrochemical sensors for hydrogen peroxide electroreduction integrated with printed electrochromic display and battery. The system was driven by a conventional electronic circuit designed to illustrate the complete integration of silicon ICs via pick and place, or using organic electronic circuits. The device was capable of measuring 8 µL samples of both hydrogen peroxide (0 to 5 mM, 2.72×10 -6 A.mM -1 ) and total cholesterol in serum from 0 to 9 mM (1.34×10 -8 A.mM -1 , r 2 =0.99, RSD <10%, n=3) which was output on a semi-quantitative linear bar display. The device could operate for 10 minutes via a printed battery and display the result for many hours or days. A mobile phone 'app' was also capable of reading the test result and transmitting this to a remote health care provider. Such a technology could allow improved management of conditions such as hypercholesterolemia.Printed electronics is being hailed as a technological revolution, equal in importance to the emergence of microelectronics over 50 years ago. The combined qualities of print-processable organic, inorganic and hybrid (semi)conductive materials which can be deposited onto flexible polymeric substrates using a range of additive, high throughput printing methodologies offer the prospect of low cost mass production capability and the potential for unprecedented levels of technological integration.