Conductive graphene-based coagulated composites for electronic printing applications

Abstract

Graphene is gaining significance in applications such as sensors, antennas, photonics and spintronics. In particular, it is suitable for printing components and circuits affording the properties of high conductivity alongside flexibility, elasticity and wearability. For this application, graphene is typically customised into a fluidic form—ink or paint. This paper reports a novel, economical, scalable methodology for synthesising electrically conductive graphene-based coagulated composite that could be utilised in the above-mentioned applications. Composites are prepared from graphene powder/ink and screen-printing ink (GP–SPI and GI–SPI, respectively) at different mass ratios, and the optimal composition is identified by brush coating on paper in the form of rectangular strips. As a proof of concept, at optimum mass ratios, the GP–SPI and GI–SPI composites exhibit electrical conductivities ranging 0.068–0.702 mS m−1 and 0.0303–0.1746 µS m−1, in order. The as-prepared conductive composites are then screen-printed onto a square with an area of 1 cm2 on ceramic, FR4, glass, paper, polyester and wood substrates. The coagulated GP–SPI and GI–SPI composites are compatible with all these substrates and yield a conductive coating, demonstrating their suitability in multifaceted applications. Furthermore, the method proposed herein eliminates the need for rare/precious expensive materials, state-of-the art equipment, highly skilled personnel and costs associated with the same, thereby broadening the avenues for low-cost, fluidic graphene-based functional composites.