Shape-programmed inkjet-printed silver electro-conductive layers on textile surfaces

The inkjet-printing technique was used to deposit a commercial silver nanoparticle ink in order to fabricate the electro-conductive layers directly on the different natural, synthetic, blend and mineral textile fabric surfaces with simultaneous sintering at 130℃ during printing process. This modification eliminated the necessity of sintering of silver prints in a box oven and significantly minimised ink spreading over the fabric. The silver nanoink used was characterised by means of ultraviolet-visible spectrometry, dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscopy. The changes in surface resistance of the fabrics with the silver-deposited layers have been measured by means of the four-probe method. The morphology of the silver layers has been observed by optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The conducting layers were also characterised chemically by means of energy dispersive spectroscopy. The changes in surface resistance of the silver inkjet-printed textiles were evaluated in the bending tests and after the rubbing, washing and dry-cleaning processes. The obtained results proved that the proposed shape-programmed inkjet-printing method was very simple, giving an excellent adhesion of the inkjet-printed silver layers to the substrates and ensuring a very low surface resistance. The studies have confirmed the usefulness of the ink applied for inkjet printing of silver electrodes and their good tolerance to bending, washing and dry-cleaning processes.