Electrohydrodynamic ink-jet printing characteristics of inks for temperature measurements

Abstract

Temperature sensors have high usability owing to their small size and high resolution. These can be achieved with electrohydrodynamic (EHD) ink-jet printing technology, but it is important to find applicable inks. Therefore, inks capable of measuring temperature were produced using polymer-based and surfactant-based solutions in this study. The temperature measurement performance of the inks was evaluated, in a high-temperature environment. Inks capable of sensing temperature were applied to an EHD ink-jet printer. Printable inks were derived, and experiments were conducted to determine the stability of the meniscus shapes and printed lines under varying voltage and height conditions. In addition, experiments were conducted to assess the variation in the line thickness with the printing speed by determining the optimum voltage and height parameters. Through these experiments, inks capable of measuring temperature were manufactured, and the optimal printing conditions for EHD ink-jet printing were obtained.