High-resolution flexible electronic devices by electrohydrodynamic jet printing: From materials toward applications

Abstract

High-resolution flexible electronic devices are widely used in the fields of soft robotics, smart human-machine interaction, and intelligent e-healthcare monitoring due to their mechanical flexibility, ductility, and compactness. The electrohydrodynamic jet printing (e-jet printing) technique is used for constructing high-resolution and cross-scale flexible electronic devices such as field-effect transistors (FETs), flexible sensors, and flexible displays. As a result, researchers are paying close attention to e-jet printing flexible electronic devices. In this review, we focused on the latest advancements in high-resolution flexible electronics made by e-jet printing technology, including various materials used in e-jet printing inks, the process control of e-jet printing, and their applications. First, we summarized various functional ink materials available for e-jet printing, including organic, inorganic, and hybrid materials. Then, the interface controlling the progress of e-jet printing was discussed in detail, including the physical and chemical properties of the functional ink, the interfacial wettability between the ink and substrate, and the micro-droplet injection behavior in a high-voltage field. Additionally, various applications of e-jet printing in the fields of flexible electrodes, FETs, flexible sensors, and flexible displays were demonstrated. Finally, the future problems and potential associated with the development of next generation e-jet printing technology for flexible electronic devices were also presented.