# US 9,518,188 B2 · Method of printing a conductive article and articles made thereby > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,518,188 B2 - Document ID: US9518188B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/885,678 - Filed: 2011-11-15 - Published: 2014-02-20 - Granted: 2016-12-13 - Earliest claimed: 2010-11-15 - Applicants: John S. Lettow; Christy Martin; Dan Scheffer - Inventors: John S. Lettow; Christy Martin; Dan Scheffer - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9518188B2 ## CPC - C09D 5/24: Electrically-conducting paints {(conductive materials H01B1/00)} - B42D 25/21: for multiple purposes - B42D 25/29: Securities; Bank notes - B42D 25/373: Metallic materials - C09D 5/26: Thermosensitive paints - H01B 1/24: the conductive material comprising carbon-silicon compounds, carbon or silicon - B41M 7/00: After-treatment of prints, e.g. heating, irradiating, {setting of the ink, protection of the printed stock (pre-treatment or treatment during printing B41M5/0011; printers for treating or overcoating copy materials before, during or after printing B41J11/0015)} - B42D 2033/20 - Y10T 428/24851: Intermediate layer is discontinuous or differential - C09D: COATING COMPOSITIONS, e.g. PAINTS, VARNISHES OR LACQUERS; FILLING PASTES; CHEMICAL PAINT OR INK REMOVERS; INKS; CORRECTING FLUIDS; WOODSTAINS; PASTES OR SOLIDS FOR COLOURING OR PRINTING; USE OF MATERIALS THEREFOR (cosmetics A61K; processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces, in general, B05D; staining wood B27K5/02; glazes or vitreous enamels C03C; natural resins, French polish, drying-oils, driers, turpentine, per se, C09F; polishing compositions other than French polish, ski waxes C09G; adhesives or use of materials as adhesives C09J; materials for sealing or packing joints or covers C09K3/10; materials for stopping leaks C09K3/12; processes for the electrolytic or electrophoretic production of coatings C25D) - B42D: BOOKS; BOOK COVERS; LOOSE LEAVES; PRINTED MATTER CHARACTERISED BY IDENTIFICATION OR SECURITY FEATURES; PRINTED MATTER OF SPECIAL FORMAT OR STYLE NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; DEVICES FOR USE THEREWITH AND NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; MOVABLE-STRIP WRITING OR READING APPARATUS - H01B: CABLES; CONDUCTORS; INSULATORS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR CONDUCTIVE, INSULATING OR DIELECTRIC PROPERTIES (selection for magnetic properties H01F1/00; waveguides H01P {; printed circuits H05K}) - B41M: PRINTING, DUPLICATING, MARKING, OR COPYING PROCESSES; COLOUR PRINTING, (correction of typographical errors B41J; processes for applying transfer pictures or the like B44C1/16; fluid media for correction of typographical errors by coating C09D10/00; printing textiles D06P) - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A method of printing articles having variable conductivities, including those having conductivity gradients. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of making a printed article having areas having different conductivities, comprising forming an image on a substrate by applying at least one medium to at least a portion of the substrate and overcoating some or all of the imaged substrate with at least one electrically and/or thermally conductive coating composition. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the overcoating is applied to at least one portion of the substrate on which the image has been formed and at least one portion of the substrate on which no image has been formed, such that the at least one overcoated portion of the image has a different electrical and/or thermal conductivity from the at least one overcoated area of the substrate on which no image has been formed. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the image is formed using two or more media and at least a portion of the image formed from each of the media is overcoated. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the medium is applied in different thicknesses on different portions of the substrate to form an image and at least two portions of an image having different thicknesses are overcoated. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the coating composition is electrically conductive. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the coating composition is thermally conductive. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the coating composition comprises graphene sheets. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the coating composition further comprises at least one binder. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the coating composition further comprises at least one carrier. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the coating composition further comprises graphite. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the binder is one or more selected from the group consisting of acrylate polymers, epoxies, polyurethanes, polyamides, poly(vinyl butryal), poly(vinyl pyrrolidone), poly(vinyl acetate), vinyl acetate and vinyl pyrrolidone copolymers, poly(lactic acid), cellulosic polymers, polycarbonates, polyolefins, and polysiloxanes. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the graphene sheets have a surface area of at least about 100 m2/g. ### Claim 13 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the graphene sheets have a surface area of at least about 300 m2/g. ### Claim 14 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the graphene sheets have a surface area of at least about 400 m2/g. ### Claim 15 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the graphene sheets have a carbon to oxygen ratio of at least about 20:1. ### Claim 16 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the graphene sheets have a carbon to oxygen ratio of at least about 75:1. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the coating composition comprises one or more conductive components selected from the group consisting of silver, silver alloys, copper, copper alloys, carbon black, graphite, and carbon nanotubes. ### Claim 18 A printed article comprising areas having different conductivities, made by forming an image on a substrate by applying at least one medium to at least a portion of the substrate and overcoating some or all of the imaged substrate with at least one electrically and/or thermally conductive coating composition. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The article of claim 18, wherein the coating composition comprises graphene sheets. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) An electroluminescent device comprising the article of claim 19.