Inkjet printed IGZO memristors with volatile and non-volatile switching

Solution-based memristors deposited by inkjet printing technique have a strong technological potential based on their scalability, low cost, environmentally friendlier processing by being an efficient technique with minimal material waste. Indium-gallium-zinc oxide (IGZO), an oxide semiconductor material, shows promising resistive switching properties. In this work, a printed Ag/IGZO/ITO memristor has been fabricated. The IGZO thickness influences both memory window and switching voltage of the devices. The devices show both volatile counter8wise (c8w) and non-volatile 8wise (8w) switching at low operating voltage. The 8w switching has a SET and RESET voltage lower than 2 V and - 5 V, respectively, a retention up to 105 s and a memory window up to 100, whereas the c8w switching shows volatile characteristics with a low threshold voltage (Vth < - 0.65 V) and a characteristic time (τ) of 0.75 ± 0.12 ms when a single pulse of - 0.65 V with width of 0.1 ms is applied. The characteristic time alters depending on the number of pulses. These volatile characteristics allowed them to be tested on different 4-bit pulse sequences, as an initial proof of concept for temporal signal processing applications.

Screen-printed wearable skin surface pH sensor for real-time monitoring of the buffering capacity of human skin

This study demonstrated for the first time that skin surface pH can be monitored in real-time, using a screen-printed wearable pH sensor, to evaluate the buffering capacity of the human skin. The screen-printed pH sensor was composed of a polyaniline-based pH-sensitive electrode and a nitrocellulose membrane-based liquid junction type of Ag/AgCl reference electrode. This sensor showed a reliable and reversible potentiometric response to pH with long-term potential stability. Intermittent monitoring of the buffering capacity of skin surface pH demonstrated the reliability of the proposed wearable pH sensor, which was comparable to that of a commercially available flat-tip pH sensor. We found that contact of the wearable pH sensor with the subject's skin via aqueous electrolyte solutions was necessary for the sensor to continuously monitor the skin surface pH while sustaining the natural buffer capacity of the human skin surface.

Future Thread: Printing Electronics on Fibers

This article introduces a methodology to increase the integration density of functional electronic features on fibers/threads/wires through additive deposition of functional materials via printed electronics. It opens the possibility to create a multifunctional intelligent system on a single fiber/thread/wire while combining the advantages of existing approaches, i.e., the scalability of coating techniques and the microfeatures of semiconductor-based fabrication. By directly printing on threads (of diameters ranging from 90 to 1000 μm), micropatterned electronic devices and multifunctional electronic systems could be formed. Contact and noncontact printing methods were utilized to create various shapes from serpentines and meanders to planar coils and interdigitated electrodes, as well as complex multilayer structures for thermal and light actuators, humidity, and temperature sensors. We demonstrate the practicality of the method by integrating a multifunctional thread into a FFP mask for breath monitoring. Printing technologies provide virtually unrestricted choices for the types of threads, materials, and devices used. They are scalable via roll-to-roll processes and offer a resource-efficient way to democratize electronics across textile products.

Towards a REASSURED reality: A less-is-more electronic design strategy for self-powered glucose test

Sensing strategies adopting minimal electronic systems help in realizing REASSURED diagnostic tests. However, the challenge in developing such strategies escalates with demand in power and electronics during pursuit of reliable and accurate sensing. Herein, we present an electronic design strategy using a smart strip, operating with power generated from 3.5 μL of serum sample, to reveal glucose concentration through a response preserved in a capacitor. Further, by integrating an NFC tag alongside the strip, we devised a self-powered glucose measuring card, mobile-glucocard (or mGlucocard) for retrieving this stored digital response using smartphone, enabling 'connected mobile-health diagnostics'. The response from our device relates linearly to glucose concentration offering a sensitivity of 11.3 mV/mM and good correlation (R = 0.974) with colorimetric reference method. Interestingly, the design strategy uses only four components - two resistors, diode, and capacitor - of simple architecture likely transferable to printed technologies to deliver advanced self-powered sustainable devices.

Rapid, low-cost fabrication of electronic microfluidics via inkjet-printing and xurography (MINX)

Microfluidics has shown great promise for point-of-care assays due to unique chemical and physical advantages that occur at the micron scale. Furthermore, integration of electrodes into microfluidic systems provides additional capabilities for assay operation and electronic readout. However, while these systems are abundant in biological and biomedical research settings, translation of microfluidic devices with embedded electrodes are limited. In part, this is due to the reliance on expensive, inaccessible, and laborious microfabrication techniques. Although innovative prior work has simplified microfluidic fabrication or inexpensively patterned electrodes, low-cost, accessible, and robust methods to incorporate all these elements are lacking. Here, we present MINX, a low-cost <1 USD and rapid (∼minutes) fabrication technique to manufacture microfluidic device with embedded electrodes. We characterize the structures created using MINX, and then demonstrate the utility of the approach by using MINX to implement an electrochemical bead-based biomarker detection assay. We show that the MINX technique enables the scalable, inexpensive fabrication of microfluidic devices with electronic sensors using widely accessible desktop machines and low-cost materials.

Synthesis of silver nanoparticles for use in conductive inks by chemical reduction method

In this study, the chemical reduction method was applied to synthesize silver nanoparticles used to prepare conductive inks. The two variables of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)-stabilized mole in the 0.01-0.03 mol range and hydrazine reducing mole in the 0.1-0.5 mol range, along with constants such as precursor mole (silver nitrate), complexing mole (ethylene diamine) and solvent mole (water), were used. Nine random samples proposed by the Design Expert software were examined and studied. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS) were then used to characterize and evaluate the synthesized nanoparticles. According to the results obtained by XRD, FE-SEM and TEM analyses, the sample with 0.025 mol and 0.3 mol PVP had the minimum size of silver nanoparticles, which was around 20 nm, so it was chosen as the optimal sample for further research. The conductive ink was also prepared with the optimal sample of silver nanoparticles in 40% by weight and then characterized and evaluated by applying ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis), simultaneous thermal analysis (STA), FE-SEM and electrical conductivity analysis. Finally, conductive ink was applied to polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) substrates. The surface electrical resistance of conductive ink on PET and ABS substrates was then measured at about 6.4 Ω and 2.2 Ω, respectively.

Ultrasensitive bacterial sensing using a disposable all-in-one amperometric platform with self-noise cancellation

The early detection of very low bacterial concentrations is key to minimize the healthcare and safety issues associated with microbial infections, food poisoning or water pollution. In amperometric integrated circuits for electrochemical sensors, flicker noise is still the main bottleneck to achieve ultrasensitive detection with small footprint, cost-effective and ultra-low power instrumentation. Current strategies rely on autozeroing or chopper stabilization causing negative impacts on chip size and power consumption. This work presents a 27-μW potentiostatic-amperometric Delta-Sigma modulator able to cancel its own flicker noise and provide a 4-fold improvement in the limit of detection. The 2.3-mm² all-in-one CMOS integrated circuit is glued to an inkjet-printed electrochemical sensor. Measurements show that the limit of detection is 15 pA_rms, the extended dynamic range reaches 110 dB and linearity is R² = 0.998. The disposable device is able to detect, in less than 1h, live bacterial concentrations as low as 10² CFU/mL from a 50-μL droplet sample, which is equivalent to 5 microorganisms.

3D printing and 3D-printed electronics: Applications and future trends in smart drug delivery devices

Drug delivery devices which can control the release of drugs on demand allow for improved treatment to a patient. These smart drug delivery devices allow for the release of drugs to be turned on and off as needed, thereby increasing the control over the drug concentration within the patient. The addition of electronics to the smart drug delivery devices increases the functionality and applications of these devices. Through the use of 3D printing and 3D-printed electronics, the customizability and functions of such devices can also be greatly increased. With the development in such technologies, the applications of the devices will be improved. In this review paper, the application of 3D-printed electronics and 3D printing in smart drug delivery devices with electronics as well as the future trends of such applications are covered.

Flexible, Wearable and Fully-printed Smart Patch for pH and Hydration Sensing in Wounds

Wound healing is a complex and dynamic regeneration process, wherein the physical and chemical parameters are continuously changing. Its management and monitoring can provide immense benefits, especially for bed-ridden patients. This work reports a low-cost, flexible, and fully printed on-skin patch sensor to measure the change in pH and fluid content in a wound. Such a bendable sensor can also be easily incorporated in a wound dressing. The sensor consists of different electrodes printed on polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) substrate for pH and moisture sensing. The fabricated sensor patch has a sensitivity of 7.1 ohm/pH for wound pH levels. The hydration sensor results showed that moisture levels on a semi-porous surface can be quantified through resistance change.

From coffee stains to uniform deposits: Significance of the contact-line mobility

HYPOTHESIS

Contact-line motion upon drying of a sessile droplet strongly affects the solute transport and solvent evaporation profile. Hence, it should have a strong impact on the deposit formation and might be responsible for volcano-like, dome-like and flat deposit morphologies.

EXPERIMENTS

A method based on a thin-film interference was used to track the drop height profile and contact line motion during the drying. A diverse set of drying scenarios was obtained by using inks with different solvent compositions and by adjusting the substrate wetting properties. The experimental data was compared to the predictions of a phenomenological model.

FINDINGS

We highlight the essential role of contact-line mobility on the deposit morphology of solution-based inks. A pinned contact line produces exclusively ring-like deposits under normal conditions. On the contrary, drops with a mobile contact line can produce ring-, flat- or dome-like morphology. The developed phenomenological model shows that the deposit morphology depends on solvent evaporation profile, evolution of the drop radius relative to its contact angle, and the ratio between initial and maximal (gelling) solute concentration. These parameters can be adjusted by the ink solvent composition and substrate wetting behaviour, which provides a way for deposition of uniform and flat deposits via inkjet printing.

Metallic core-shell nanoparticles for conductive coatings and printing

The review is focused on bimetallic nanoparticles composed of a core formed by low-cost metal having high electrical conductivity, such as Cu and Ni, and a protective shell composed of stable to oxidation noble metal such as Ag or Au. We present the chemical and physical approaches for synthesis of such particles, as well as the combination of the two, the stability to oxidation of core-shell nanoparticles at various conditions, and the formulation of conductive compositions and their application in conductive coatings and printed electronics.

Fully Printed High-Performance n-Type Metal Oxide Thin-Film Transistors Utilizing Coffee-Ring Effect

Metal oxide thin-films transistors (TFTs) produced from solution-based printing techniques can lead to large-area electronics with low cost. However, the performance of current printed devices is inferior to those from vacuum-based methods due to poor film uniformity induced by the "coffee-ring" effect. Here, we report a novel approach to print high-performance indium tin oxide (ITO)-based TFTs and logic inverters by taking advantage of such notorious effect. ITO has high electrical conductivity and is generally used as an electrode material. However, by reducing the film thickness down to nanometers scale, the carrier concentration of ITO can be effectively reduced to enable new applications as active channels in transistors. The ultrathin (~10-nm-thick) ITO film in the center of the coffee-ring worked as semiconducting channels, while the thick ITO ridges (>18-nm-thick) served as the contact electrodes. The fully inkjet-printed ITO TFTs exhibited a high saturation mobility of 34.9 cm² V^-1 s^-1 and a low subthreshold swing of 105 mV dec^-1. In addition, the devices exhibited excellent electrical stability under positive bias illumination stress (PBIS, ΔV_th = 0.31 V) and negative bias illuminaiton stress (NBIS, ΔV_th = -0.29 V) after 10,000 s voltage bias tests. More remarkably, fully printed n-type metal-oxide-semiconductor (NMOS) inverter based on ITO TFTs exhibited an extremely high gain of 181 at a low-supply voltage of 3 V, promising for advanced electronics applications.

Recent progress for silver nanowires conducting film for flexible electronics

Silver nanowires (AgNWs), as one-dimensional nanometallic materials, have attracted wide attention due to the excellent electrical conductivity, transparency and flexibility, especially in flexible and stretchable electronics. However, the microscopic discontinuities require AgNWs be attached to some carrier for practical applications. Relative to the preparation method, how to integrate AgNWs into the flexible matrix is particularly important. In recent years, plenty of papers have been published on the preparation of conductors based on AgNWs, including printing techniques, coating techniques, vacuum filtration techniques, template-assisted assembly techniques, electrospinning techniques and gelating techniques. The aim of this review is to discuss different assembly method of AgNW-based conducting film and their advantages.

GRAPHIC ABSTRACT

Conducting films based on silver nanowires (AgNWs) have been reviewed with a focus on their assembly and their advantages.

Evaluation of dry textile electrodes for long-term electrocardiographic monitoring

Background

Continuous long-term electrocardiography monitoring has been increasingly recognized for early diagnosis and management of different types of cardiovascular diseases. To find an alternative to Ag/AgCl gel electrodes that are improper for this application scenario, many efforts have been undertaken to develop novel flexible dry textile electrodes integrated into the everyday garments. With significant progresses made to address the potential issues (e.g., low signal-to-noise ratio, high skin–electrode impedance, motion artifact, and low durability), the lack of standard evaluation procedure hinders the further development of dry electrodes (mainly the design and optimization).

Results

A standard testing procedure and framework for skin–electrode impedance measurement is demonstrated for the development of novel dry textile electrodes. Different representative electrode materials have been screen-printed on textile substrates. To verify the performance of dry textile electrodes, impedance measurements are conducted on an agar skin model using a universal setup with consistent frequency and pressure. In addition, they are demonstrated for ECG signals acquisition, in comparison to those obtained using conventional gel electrodes.

Conclusions

Dry textile electrodes demonstrated similar impedance when in raised or flat structures. The tested pressure variations had an insignificant impact on electrode impedance. Looking at the effect of impedance on ECG signals, a noticeable effect on ECG signal performance metrics was not observed. Therefore, it is suggested that impedance alone is possibly not the primary indicator of signal quality. As well, the developed methods can also serve as useful guidelines for future textile dry-electrode design and testing for practical ECG monitoring applications.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12938-021-00905-4.

Transfer of printed electronic structures using graphene oxide and gelatin enables reversible and biocompatible interface with living cells

We present a low-cost, easy-to-implement platform for printing materials and interfacing them with eukaryotic cells. We show that thermal or chemical reduction of a graphene oxide thin film allows water-assisted delamination of the film from glass or plastic. The chemical and physical properties and permeability of the resulting film are dependent on the method of reduction and deposition of the graphene oxide, with thermal reduction removing more oxidized carbon functionality than chemical reduction. We also developed a method to attach the films onto cell surfaces using a thin layer of gelatin as an adhesive. In general, the films are highly impermeable to nutrients and we observed a significant amount of cell death when gelatin was not used; gelatin enables diffusion of nutrients for sustained cell viability. The combination of nanoscale membranes with a low melting point biopolymer allows us to reversibly interface cells with cargo transferred by graphene oxide while maintaining cell viability. To demonstrate delivery of electronic structures, we modified a commercial off-the-shelf printer to print a silver-based ink directly onto the reduced graphene oxide films which we then transferred to the surface of the cells.

A fully screen-printed potentiometric chloride ion sensor employing a hydrogel-based touchpad for simple and non-invasive daily electrolyte analysis

This is the first report demonstrating proof of concept for the passive, non-invasive extraction and in situ potentiometric detection of human sweat chloride ions (Cl^- ions) using a stable printed planar liquid-junction reference electrode-integrated hydrogel-based touch-sensor pad without activities such as exercise to induce perspiration, environmental temperature control, or requiring cholinergic drug administration. The sensor pad was composed entirely of a screen-printed bare Ag/AgCl-based chloride ion-selective electrode and a planar liquid-junction Ag/AgCl reference electrode, which were fully covered by an agarose hydrogel in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS). When human skin contacted the hydrogel pad, sweat Cl^- ions were continuously extracted into the gel, followed by in situ potentiometric detection. The planar liquid-junction Ag/AgCl reference electrode had a polymer-based KCl-saturated inner electrolyte layer to stabilize the potential of the Ag/AgCl electrode even with a substantial change in the chloride ion concentration in the hydrogel pad. We expect this fully screen-printed sensor to achieve the low-cost passive and non-invasive daily monitoring of human Cl^- ions in sweat in the future.

Fully printed prothrombin time sensor for point-of-care testing

With an increasing number of patients relying on blood thinners to treat medical conditions, there is a rising need for rapid, low-cost, portable testing of blood coagulation time or prothrombin time (PT). Current methods for measuring PT require regular visits to outpatient clinics, which is cumbersome and time-consuming, decreasing patient quality of life. In this work, we developed a handheld point-of-care test (POCT) to measure PT using electrical transduction. Low-cost PT sensors were fully printed using an aerosol jet printer and conductive inks of Ag nanoparticles, Ag nanowires, and carbon nanotubes. Using benchtop control electronics to test this impedance-based biosensor, it was found that the capacitive nature of blood obscures the clotting response at frequencies below 10 kHz, leading to an optimized operating frequency of 15 kHz. When printed on polyimide, the PT sensor exhibited no variation in the measured clotting time, even when flexed to a 35 mm bend radius. In addition, consistent PT measurements for both chicken and human blood illustrate the versatility of these printed biosensors under disparate operating conditions, where chicken blood clots within 30 min and anticoagulated human blood clots within 20-100 s. Finally, a low-cost, handheld POCT was developed to measure PT for human blood, yielding 70% lower noise compared to measurement with a commercial potentiostat. This POCT with printed PT sensors has the potential to dramatically improve the quality of life for patients on blood thinners and, in the long term, could be incorporated into a fully flexible and wearable sensing platform.

Ink synthesis and inkjet printing of electrostatically stabilized multilayer graphene nanoshells

HYPOTHESIS

Most functional inkjet inks are sterically stabilized nanoparticle dispersions that require a post-printing-process to remove stabilizing materials and gain functionality. This post-process limits material selection and increases fabrication time and complexity for printed devices. By optimizing the electrostatic stability of a carbon nanomaterial dispersed in water or ethylene glycol via pH adjustment, a stable and printable ink should be attainable without a steric stabilizing material and hence the post-process may be avoided.

EXPERIMENTS

The electrostatic stability of multilayer graphene nanoshells (MGNS)-an inexpensive and net carbon-negative nanomaterial-dispersed in water and ethylene glycol was studied by measuring zeta potential as a function of pH and modeling energetic potentials between particles. Requirements for electrical percolation of printed MGNS were analyzed and corroborated with electrical measurements.

FINDINGS

Electrostatic stability improved with increased zeta potential caused by an increased pH. Ionic strength also increased with pH, causing strong destabilization. By increasing zeta potential while minimizing ionic strength, the maximum solid-loading of MGNS in DI water and ethylene glycol was increased up to 20%. For the MGNS solid-loading achieved here, electrical percolation occurs with 20-30 consecutively printed layers producing a resistivity of 30 Ω-cm. The inexpensive, environmentally-friendly MGNS are a promising material for printed, flexible electronics.

Nanocellulose applications in sustainable electrochemical and piezoelectric systems: A review

Recent studies advocate the use of cellulose nanomaterials (CNs) as a sustainable carbohydrate polymer in numerous innovative electronics for their quintessential features such as flexibility, low thermal expansion and self-/directed assembly within multiphase matrices. Herein, we review the contemporary advances in CN-built electrochemical systems and highlight the constructive effects of these nanoscopic entities once engineered in conductive composites, proton exchange membranes (PEMs), electrochromics, energy storage devices and piezoelectric sensors. The adopted strategies and designs are discussed in view of CN roles as copolymer, electrolyte reservoir, binder and separator. Finally, physiochemical attributes and durability of resulting architectures are compared to conventional materials and the possible challenges/solutions are delineated to realize the promising capabilities. The volume of the up-to-present literature in the field indeed implies to nanocellulose overriding importance and the presented angles perhaps shed more lights on prospect of the biosphere's most dominant biomaterial in the energy-related arena that deserve attention.

Disposable inkjet-printed electrochemical platform for detection of clinically relevant HER-2 breast cancer biomarker

Rapidly fabricated, disposable sensor platforms hold tremendous promise for point-of-care detection. Here, we present an inexpensive (< $0.25) fully inkjet printed electrochemical sensor with integrated counter, reference, and working electrodes that is easily scalable for commercial fabrication. The electrochemical sensor platform featured an inkjet printed gold working 8-electrode array (WEA) and counter electrode (CE), along with an inkjet -printed silver electrode that was chlorinated with bleach to produce a Ag/AgCl quasi-reference electrode (RE). As proof of concept, the electrochemical sensor was successfully applied for detection of clinically relevant breast cancer biomarker Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 (HER-2). Capture antibodies were bound to a chemically modified surface on the WEA and placed into a microfluidic device. A full sandwich immunoassay was constructed following a simultaneous injection of target protein, biotinylated antibody, and polymerized horseradish peroxide labels into the microfluidic device housing the WEA. With an ultra fast assay time, of only 15mins a clinically relevant limit of detection of 12pgmL^-1 was achieved. Excellent reproducibility and sensitivity were observed through recovery assays preformed in human serum with recoveries ranging from 76% to 103%. These easily fabricated and scalable electrochemical sensor platforms can be readily adapted for multiplex detection following this rapid assay protocol for cancer diagnostics.

A stretchable and screen-printed electrochemical sensor for glucose determination in human perspiration

Here we present two types of all-printable, highly stretchable, and inexpensive devices based on platinum (Pt)-decorated graphite for glucose determination in physiological fluids. Said devices are: a non-enzymatic sensor and an enzymatic biosensor, the latter showing promising results. Glucose has been quantified by measuring hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) reduction by chronoamperometry at -0.35V (vs pseudo-Ag/AgCl) using glucose oxidase immobilized on Pt-decorated graphite. The sensor performs well for the quantification of glucose in phosphate buffer solution (0.25M PBS, pH 7.0), with a linear range between 0 mM and 0.9mM, high sensitivity and selectivity, and a low limit of detection (LOD). Thus, it provides an alternative non-invasive and on-body quantification of glucose levels in human perspiration. This biosensor has been successfully applied on real human perspiration samples and results also show a significant correlation between glucose concentration in perspiration and glucose concentration in blood measured by a commercial glucose meter.

Preparing of Highly Conductive Patterns on Flexible Substrates by Screen Printing of Silver Nanoparticles with Different Size Distribution

A facile one-step polyol method is employed to synthesize the Ag nanoparticles (NPs) in large scale. The Ag NPs with different average diameter (from 52 to 120 nm) and particle size distribution are prepared by changing the mass ratio of AgNO3 and PVP. Furthermore, the as-obtained Ag NPs are prepared as conductive inks, which could be screen printed on various flexible substrates and formed as conductive patterns after sintering treatment. During the reaction process, PVP is used as the capping reagent for preventing the agglomeration of Ag NPs, and the influence of the mass ratio of AgNO3 and PVP to the size distribution of Ag NPs is investigated. The results of electronic properties reveal that the conductivity of printed patterns is highly dependent on the size distribution of as-obtained Ag NPs. Among all the samples, the optimal conductivity is obtained when the mass ratio of AgNO3 and PVP is 1:0.4. Subsequently, the sintering time and temperature are further investigated for obtaining the best conductivity; the optimal electrical resistivity value of 3.83 μΩ · cm is achieved at 160 °C for 75 min, which is close to the resistivity value of the bulk silver (1.58 μΩ · cm). Significantly, there are many potential advantages in printed electronics applications because of the as-synthesized Ag NPs with a low sintering temperature and low electrical resistivity.

Ultrathin high-resolution flexographic printing using nanoporous stamps

Since its invention in ancient times, relief printing, commonly called flexography, has been used to mass-produce artifacts ranging from decorative graphics to printed media. Now, higher-resolution flexography is essential to manufacturing low-cost, large-area printed electronics. However, because of contact-mediated liquid instabilities and spreading, the resolution of flexographic printing using elastomeric stamps is limited to tens of micrometers. We introduce engineered nanoporous microstructures, comprising polymer-coated aligned carbon nanotubes (CNTs), as a next-generation stamp material. We design and engineer the highly porous microstructures to be wetted by colloidal inks and to transfer a thin layer to a target substrate upon brief contact. We demonstrate printing of diverse micrometer-scale patterns of a variety of functional nanoparticle inks, including Ag, ZnO, WO₃, and CdSe/ZnS, onto both rigid and compliant substrates. The printed patterns have highly uniform nanoscale thickness (5 to 50 nm) and match the stamp features with high fidelity (edge roughness, ~0.2 μm). We derive conditions for uniform printing based on nanoscale contact mechanics, characterize printed Ag lines and transparent conductors, and achieve continuous printing at a speed of 0.2 m/s. The latter represents a combination of resolution and throughput that far surpasses industrial printing technologies.

All-printed magnetically self-healing electrochemical devices

The present work demonstrates the synthesis and application of permanent magnetic Nd₂Fe₁₄B microparticle (NMP)-loaded graphitic inks for realizing rapidly self-healing inexpensive printed electrochemical devices. The incorporation of NMPs into the printable ink imparts impressive self-healing ability to the printed conducting trace, with rapid (~50 ms) recovery of repeated large (3 mm) damages at the same or different locations without any user intervention or external trigger. The permanent and surrounding-insensitive magnetic properties of the NMPs thus result in long-lasting ability to repair extreme levels of damage, independent of ambient conditions. This remarkable self-healing capability has not been reported for existing man-made self-healing systems and offers distinct advantages over common capsule and intrinsically self-healing systems. The printed system has been characterized by leveraging crystallographic, magnetic hysteresis, microscopic imaging, electrical conductivity, and electrochemical techniques. The real-life applicability of the new self-healing concept is demonstrated for the autonomous repair of all-printed batteries, electrochemical sensors, and wearable textile-based electrical circuits, indicating considerable promise for widespread practical applications and long-lasting printed electronic devices.

Highly Stretchable Fully-Printed CNT-Based Electrochemical Sensors and Biofuel Cells: Combining Intrinsic and Design-Induced Stretchability

We present the first example of an all-printed, inexpensive, highly stretchable CNT-based electrochemical sensor and biofuel cell array. The synergistic effect of utilizing specially tailored screen printable stretchable inks that combine the attractive electrical and mechanical properties of CNTs with the elastomeric properties of polyurethane as a binder along with a judiciously designed free-standing serpentine pattern enables the printed device to possess two degrees of stretchability. Owing to these synergistic design and nanomaterial-based ink effects, the device withstands extremely large levels of strains (up to 500% strain) with negligible effect on its structural integrity and performance. This represents the highest stretchability offered by a printed device reported to date. Extensive electrochemical characterization of the printed device reveal that repeated stretching, torsional twisting, and indenting stress has negligible impact on its electrochemical properties. The wide-range applicability of this platform to realize highly stretchable CNT-based electrochemical sensors and biofuel cells has been demonstrated by fabricating and characterizing potentiometric ammonium sensor, amperometric enzyme-based glucose sensor, enzymatic glucose biofuel cell, and self-powered biosensor. Highly stretchable printable multianalyte sensor, multifuel biofuel cell, or any combination thereof can thus be realized using the printed CNT array. Such combination of intrinsically stretchable printed nanomaterial-based electrodes and strain-enduring design patterns holds considerable promise for creating an attractive class of inexpensive multifunctional, highly stretchable printed devices that satisfy the requirements of diverse healthcare and energy fields wherein resilience toward extreme mechanical deformations is mandatory.

The influence of printed electronics on the recyclability of paper: a case study for smart envelopes in courier and postal services

The aim of this paper is to analyse the effects of the presence of printed electronics on the paper waste streams and specifically on paper recyclability. The analysis is based on a case study focussed on envelopes for postal and courier services provided with these intelligent systems. The smart printed envelope of the study includes a combination of both conventional (thin flexible batteries and resistors) and printed electronic components (conductive track layout based on nanosilver ink). For this purpose, a comparison between envelopes with and without these components (batteries, resistors and conductive track layouts) was carried out through pilot scale paper recycling tests. The generation of rejects during the recycling process as well as the final quality of the recycled paper (mechanical and optical properties) were tested and quantitatively evaluated. The results show that resistors are retained during the screening process in the sieves and consequently they cannot end up in the final screened pulp. Therefore, mechanical and optical properties of the recycled paper are not affected. Nevertheless, inks from the conductive track layouts and batteries were partially dissolved in the process water. These substances were not totally retained in the sieving systems resulting in slight changes in the optical properties of the final recycled paper (variations are 7.2-7.5% in brightness, 8.5-10.7% in whiteness, 1.2-2.2% in L(∗) values, 3.3-3.5% in opacity and 16.1-27% in yellowness). These variations are not in ranges able to cause problems in current paper recycling processes and restrict the use of recycled paper in current applications. Moreover, real impacts on industrial recycling are expected to be even significantly lower since the proportion of paper product with printed circuits in the current paper waste streams are much lower than the ones tested in this work. However, it should be underlined the fact that this situation may change over the next years due to the future developments in printed electronics and the gradual penetration of these types of devices in the market.