Abstract
Flexible electrodes should have a good mechanical durability and electrical properties under even extreme bending and deformation conditions. We fabricated such an electrode using an inkjet printing system. In addition, annealing was performed under curing temperatures of 150, 170, and 190 °C to improve the electrical resistance performance of the electrode. Scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, nanoindentation, and surface profile measurements were performed to measure and analyze the electrode characteristics and the change in the shape of the coffee ring. The bending deformation behavior of the electrode was predicted by simulations. To confirm the bending durability of the flexible electrode according to different curing temperatures, the bending deformation and electrical resistance were simultaneously tested. It was found that the electrode cured at a temperature of 170 °C could endure 20,185 bending cycles and had the best durability, which was consistent with the predicted simulation results. Moreover, the average specific resistance before the electrode was disconnected was 13.45 μΩ cm, which is similar to the conventional electrode value. These results are expected to increase the durability and life of flexible electrodes, which can be used in flexible electronic devices, sensors, and wearable devices that are subjected to significant bending deformation.
Highlights
With the development of microtechnology, the demand for flexible electrodes used in wearable and highly portable foldable devices is increasing significantly [1,2,3]
It was confirmed that polygons with a size ranging from 50–110 nm lay flat on the surface of the silver electrode that did not undergo curing; it was observed that the curing process affected the size and formation of the silver electrode surface
Owing to the EDX analysis of the silver electrode performed at a curing temperature of 170 ◦C, it was confirmed that only pure silver was present (Figure S6)
Summary
With the development of microtechnology, the demand for flexible electrodes used in wearable and highly portable foldable devices is increasing significantly [1,2,3]. In the inkjet printing process, nanoparticle ink that has conductive properties is deposited on a substrate by jetting, and the printed pattern is converted into a conductive electrode by curing [10]. The deposited nanoparticle ink vaporizes the solvent via curing, and the suspended particles exist in a ring-like structure at the edge contact line. Post-treatment is very important in the inkjet printing process, and an optimized curing temperature is required for manufacturing high-quality, low-resistance flexible electrodes. In order to use the silver microelectrodes as flexible electrodes, we suggest an optimized curing temperature to impart appropriate mechanical properties and minimize the coffee ring effect. We confirm that the flexible inkjet-printed electrode substrate samples exhibit an excellent bending durability and specific resistance characteristics by simultaneously performing mechanical and electrical tests
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