RheoOptimized2DInks: Rheologically optimized 2D-material-based inks
Funding detail
Total Budget: 240 k€ CEFT funding: 240 k€ Program: 2017 Call for SR&TD Project Grants Funded by: FCT - Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia Coordination: Francisco J. Galindo Rosales
Short Description
Due to their unique structural features and outstanding properties, i.e. electronic properties combined with enormous mechanical flexibility and optical transparency, 2D nanomaterials have become a key class of materials in the development of the next generation of inks for printed electronics. Very recently, new water-based and high-concentration inks formulated with 2D materials including conductors (graphene), semiconductors (MoS2, WS2) and insulators (h-BN) have been reported in the literature. Since their morphology differs from the usually applied particles, their behavior in suspensions also differs, thus affecting the printability, which is a crucial parameter to be understood in order to scale-up for industrialization. Their current limitation comes from the use of solvents to formulate stable dispersions with adequate fluidic properties. The current situation is paradoxical: the rheological properties are improved by adding chemicals that go in detriment of the electro-mechanic-optical properties required by printed electronics.
The final aim of this project is to define the print parameters by interlinking the rheological properties of 2D-inks and the geometry of the fluidic pathways of the inkjet printers to optimize their printability, taking into account that inkjet printing technologies are considered the most promising commercial printing technologies for low-cost large-scale fabrication of complex heterostructures with 2D-inks. To do so, we will perform an in-depth rheological characterization of new formulations and 2D-inks currently available in literature for printed electronics, both under shear and extensional flows, at macro and micro scales, with and without the application of an external electric field.