Printable elastic conductors promise large-area stretchable sensor/actuator networks for healthcare, wearables and robotics. Elastomers with metal nanoparticles are one of the best approaches to achieve high performance, but large-area utilization is limited by difficulties in their processability. Here we report a printable elastic conductor containing Ag nanoparticles that are formed in situ, solely by mixing micrometre-sized Ag flakes, fluorine rubbers, and surfactant. Our printable elastic composites exhibit conductivity higher than 4,000 S cm (highest value: 6,168 S cm) at 0% strain, and 935 S cm when stretched up to 400%. Ag nanoparticle formation is influenced by the surfactant, heating processes, and elastomer molecular weight, resulting in a drastic improvement of conductivity. Fully printed sensor networks for stretchable robots are demonstrated, sensing pressure and temperature accurately, even when stretched over 250%.
We have developed an ink-jet system which allows arrangements of dots with a submicron minimum size. Using an ultra-fine silver paste, we achieved the direct print of metallic wires of only a few micrometers in width without any pre-patterning treatment of the substrate, hydrophobic/hydrophilic patterning, bank patterning etc. We also propose an application, such as direct printing of ultra-fine redistribution wiring for a build-up board and/or package. Since all of these processes can be carried out at atmospheric pressure on the desktop without special treatment of the substrate. The direct fabrication process using ink-jet printing can be expected to be a powerful tool for both nanotechnology research and applications such as micro electronics, etc.
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