Jet dispensing electrically conductive inks

1. A method of forming a conductive trace on to a substrate, the method comprising:

A) selecting a substrate;

B) providing a jet dispenser for use in applying a conductive ink to the substrate;

C) selecting a conductive ink;

D) measuring the viscosity of the conductive ink at a shear rate of 700 sec −1 and a predetermined jetting temperature;

E) using the measured viscosity (V m ) to select one of the following criteria (i)-(iv) to apply to the jet dispenser:

(i) when the measured viscosity (V m ) is greater than 2.0 Pa-s, either (1) add a fluid to the conductive ink in order to reduce the viscosity thereof followed by repeating steps D) and E) or (2) select another conductive ink by repeating steps C)-E);

(ii) when the measured viscosity (V m ) is less than or equal to 2.0 Pa-s and greater than 0.35 Pa-s, use a needle that is at least 3.0 mm in diameter and an orifice or nozzle that is at least 0.15 mm in diameter (d); with the proviso that the ratio of nozzle length (L) to nozzle diameter (d) is ≤30;

(iii) when the measured viscosity (V m ) is less than 0.25 Pa-s, use a needle that is at least 1.0 mm in diameter but less than 3.0 mm in diameter and an orifice or nozzle that is at least 0.15 mm in diameter (d); with the proviso that the ratio of nozzle length (L) to nozzle diameter (d) is ≤30; or

(iv) when the measured viscosity (V m ) is between 0.25 Pa-s and 0.35 Pa-s, use the criteria set forth in either (ii) or (iii);

F) applying the selected criteria to the jet dispenser;

G) using the jet dispenser to apply the conductive ink on to a surface of the substrate; and

H) drying or curing, and optionally annealing the conductive ink to form the conductive trace.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the jet dispenser comprises a non-contact pulsable, piezo-actuated dispensing valve or a non-contact, pneumatic piston valve.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the jet dispenser is capable of being fired in rapid succession at a rate up to 250 Hz.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the jet dispenser is capable of dispensing deposits of the conductive ink equal to or greater than 1 nL with a dot diameter on the order of 200 μm (0.008 in) or more.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the substrate is a glass, a metal, a ceramic, or a plastic substrate.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the surface of the substrate is 2-dimensional (2-D) or 3-dimensional (3-D).

7. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the substrate is a plastic substrate formed from a polycarbonate, an acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), a polyamide, or a polyester, a polyimide, vinyl polymer, polystyrene, polyether ether ketone (PEEK), polyurethane, epoxy-based polymer, polyethylene ether, polyether imide (PEI), polyolefin, or a polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) material.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the conductive ink comprises silver particles, silver flakes, gold particles, gold flakes, copper particles, copper flakes, palladium particles, palladium flakes, platinum particle, platinum flakes, or a combination thereof.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the measured viscosity of the conductive ink is between 0.25 Pa-s and 0.35 Pa-s.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:

applying a primer layer to the surface of the substrate prior to the application of the conductive ink; and

at least partially curing the primer layer;

wherein the conductive ink is applied onto the surface of the primer layer.

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises treating the surface of the substrate using atmospheric/air plasma, flame atomization, atmospheric chemical plasma, vacuum chemical plasma, UV exposure, UV-ozone exposure, heat treatment, chemical treatment, solvent treatment, mechanical treatment, or a corona charging process prior to the application of the primer layer.

12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the conductive ink is dried or annealed at a temperature ranging from ambient temperature to less than about 200° C. for a period of time ranging between about 2 minutes to about 60 minutes.

13. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the conductive ink comprises silver nanoparticles having an average particle diameter between about 2 nanometers and 800 nanometers; optionally, one or more of the silver nanoparticles is at least partially encompassed with a hydrophilic coating.

14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the silver nanoparticles are incompletely fused after annealing, such that the average particle diameter of the silver nanoparticles in the conductive trace after annealing is substantially the same as that in the silver nanoparticle ink.

15. A method of forming a functional conductive layered composite comprising:

A) selecting a substrate;

B) providing a jet dispenser for use in applying a conductive ink to the substrate;

C) selecting a conductive ink;

D) measuring the viscosity of the conductive ink at a shear rate of 700 sec −1 and a predetermined jetting temperature;

E) using the measured viscosity to select one of the following criteria (i)-(iv) to apply to the jet dispenser:

(i) when the measured viscosity is greater than 2.0 Pa-s, either (1) add a fluid to the conductive ink in order to reduce the viscosity thereof followed by repeating steps D) and E) or (2) select another conductive ink by repeating steps C)-E);

(ii) when the measured viscosity is less than or equal to 2.0 Pa-s and greater than 0.35 Pa-s, use a needle that is at least 3.0 mm in diameter and an orifice or nozzle that is at least 0.15 mm in diameter (d); with the proviso that the ratio of nozzle length (L) to nozzle diameter (d) is ≤30;

(iii) when the measured viscosity is less than 0.25 Pa-s, use a needle that is at least 1.0 mm in diameter but less than 3.0 mm in diameter and an orifice or nozzle that is at least 0.15 mm in diameter (d); with the proviso that the ratio of nozzle length (L) to nozzle diameter (d) is ≤30; or

(iv) when the measured viscosity is between 0.25 Pa-s and 0.35 Pa-s, use the criteria set forth in either (ii) or (iii);

F) applying the selected criteria to the jet dispenser;

G) using the jet dispenser to apply the conductive ink on to a surface of the substrate; and

H) drying or curing, and optionally annealing the conductive ink to form the conductive trace, and

I) incorporating the conductive trace into the functional conductive layered composite.

16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the method further comprises:

applying a primer layer to the surface of the substrate prior to the application of the conductive ink; and

at least partially curing the primer layer;

wherein the conductive ink is applied onto the surface of the primer layer.

17. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the jet dispenser is capable of dispensing deposits of the silver nanoparticle ink as small as 1 nL with a dot diameter as low as 200 μm (0.008 in) fired in rapid succession at a rate in excess of 150 Hz.

18. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the conductive ink comprises silver nanoparticles having an average particle diameter between about 2 nanometers and 800 nanometers; optionally, one or more of the silver nanoparticles is at least partially encompassed with a hydrophilic coating.