Faculty Advisor
Cheng-Yu Lai
Author Biographical Statement
Michael Keyack is an Honors College student pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering. At NASA Center For Research and Education in 2D Optoelectronics' High Volume Lab, he conducts research in additive manufacturing for electronics, exploring material properties for applications of printed electronics. Beyond engineering, he has a passion for music technology and designs musical equipment as a creative outlet.
Abstract
As additive manufacturing comes to the forefront of industrial fabrication processes, the possibility of printable electronics has become a reality. However, commercial implementation of such processes is constrained by scalability and reproducibility. This project aims to improve the formulation of silver based conductive inks through the integration of silver nanoparticles and a viscoelastic polymer enabling printability on both rigid and flexible substrates. Test specimens were printed and characterized for conductivity, resistivity, and viscosity. Post treatment annealing temperatures were analyzed using a four-point probe system to verify any variations in the conductivity. Additionally, viscosity was measured to ensure both correct ink flow and dimensional printability. The final formulation presented an average conductivity and resistivity of 535.49 (S/m) and 0.002046 (Ω•m) with a viscosity of 1721.8 (cP). These results demonstrate the feasibility of the formulated ink for applications in printed electronics. While this methodology was able to consistently print stable and dimensionally accurate circuits, further improvements could be made to further optimize the scalability. Future goals are focused on decreasing viscosity to steer the formulation towards inkjet printing applications and altering the ink synthesis to achieve better electrical properties.
DOI
10.25148/FIUURJ.3.1.17
Recommended Citation
Keyack, Michael; Latte Blonval, Filippo; Lai, Cheng-Yu; and Radu, Daniela
(2025)
"Enhancing Silver Nanoparticles Based Inks for Printable Flexible Electronics,"
FIU Undergraduate Research Journal: Vol. 3:
Iss.
1, Article 17.
DOI: 10.25148/FIUURJ.3.1.17
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/undergraduate-journal/vol3/iss1/17
