US 10,772,218 B2Granted

React-on-demand (ROD) fabrication method for high performance printed electronics

AssigneeThe University of Western Ontario

InventorsTengyuan Zhang, Jun Yang

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Abstract

A one-step react-on-demand (RoD) method for fabricating flexible circuits with ultra-low sheet resistance, enhanced safety and durability. With the special functionalized substrate, a real-time three-dimensional synthesize of silver plates in micro scale was triggered on-demand right beneath the tip in the water-swelled PVA coating, forming a three-dimensional metal-polymer (3DMP) hybrid structure of ˜7 μm with one single stroke. The as-fabricated silver traces show an enhanced durability and ultralow sheet resistance down to 4 mΩ/sq which is by far the lowest sheet resistance reported in literatures achieved by direct writing. Meanwhile, PVA seal small particles inside the film, adding additional safety to this technology. Since neither nanomaterials nor a harsh fabrication environment are required, the proposed method remains low-cost, user friendly and accessible to end-users. the RoD approach can be extended to various printing systems, offering a particle-free, sintering-free solution for high resolution, high speed production of flexible electronics.

Claims11

Dependent claims

A react-on-demand (RoD) method of fabricating a three-dimensional electrically conductive hybrid metal-polymer structure on a substrate, the method comprising:

(i) coating the substrate with an ink-absorption coating to form an ink absorption layer on the substrate, followed by
(ii) coating the substrate with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) solution to form a PVA layer having PVA polymers on the ink absorption layer, followed by
(iii) functionalizing the PVA layer with a first solvent containing a reducing agent and evaporating the first solvent to induce formation of crystals of the reducing agent located in between polymer chains of the PVA polymers as well as on the surface of the PVA layer, followed by
(iv) printing or writing a second solvent containing water and a metal salt onto the PVA layer wherein the second solvent dissolves the reducing agent and at the same time the reducing agent reduces the metal salt to produce metal particles to form a three-dimensional electrically conductive hybrid metal-polymer structure in which the metal particles are located on the surface of the PVA layer as well as in between the polymer chains in an interior of the PVA layer.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/723,887Filed 3 Oct 2017
Published: US 2019/0208646 A14 Jul 2019
Granted: 8 Sep 2020
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification20 codes

H05K 3/4644
Manufacturing multilayer circuits: by building the multilayer layer by layer, i.e. build-up multilayer circuits
H05K 1/028
Bendability or stretchability details: bending or folding regions of flexible printed circuits
H05K 1/0373
Consisting of two or more materials, e.g. two or more polymers, polymer + filler, + reinforcement: containing additives, e.g. fillers
H05K 1/092
Use of materials for the conductive, e.g. metallic pattern: dispersed materials, e.g. conductive pastes or inks

Family

US 2019/0208646 A1Pre-grant publication · published 4 Jul 2019
US 10,772,218 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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