Selective Deposition of Conductive Inks Onto Rough Polymer Composites Using Drop-On-Demand Inkjet Printing

Inkjet printing allows for rapid prototyping and design iteration that traditional printing methods do not. The use of inkjet printing for electronic devices has seen increased use in recent years owing to its high precision and ability to quickly test new devices. However, nearly all of this work has been done on smooth substrates with surface roughnesses on the nano scale. To further explore the capabilities of inkjet printing on rough surfaces, electrically conductive ink was printed onto a variety of solids-loaded polymer composite substrates using varied filler particle sizes with surface roughnesses on the micron scale. This work examines the necessary parameters required to print on these rough surfaces and characterizes the electrical properties of deposited ink. Electrical conductivity was demonstrated on surfaces across five distinct substrates using varied particle sizes. Further, two functional devices in the form of a heater and a strain gauge were printed and tested on these substrates. These devices showed comparable performance to commercially available devices. These findings offer improved ability to use inkjet technology on a variety of substrates and have implications in multiple fields. This demonstration of basic conductivity and advanced functionality shows the potential to continue development of complex devices and integrate them into new substrates. The optimization of printing algorithms on these rough surfaces also has significant potential to improve printability on rough surfaces and further expand capabilities.