Combustion‐Assisted Photonic Sintering of Printed Liquid Metal Nanoparticle Films

• DOI: 10.1002/admt.202101178
• Publication Date: 2021-11-03T06:42:09Z
• Authors: Shay Goff Wallace; Nathan P. Bradshaw; Nicholas X. Williams; Justin H. Qian; Karl W. Putz; Christopher E. Tabor; Mark C. Hersam
• Keywords: Liquid metal; Printed Electronics; Flexible Electronics

Abstract Liquid metals are ideally suited for flexible and wearable electronics due to their compatibility with additive manufacturing high electrical conductivity that is maintained following mechanical perturbation. While printing of eutectic gallium–indium (eGaIn) liquid metal nanoparticles has been demonstrated, previous techniques activating in the as‐printed insulating eGaIn limit throughput roll‐to‐roll processes. Here, ultrafast photonic sintering which further enhanced through use nitrocellulose as a carrier polymer undergoes optically triggered combustion produce thin films conductivities exceeding 10 4 S cm –1 . This combustion‐assisted (CAPS) two orders magnitude faster than previously demonstrated noncontact techniques. By circumventing established tradeoff between activation speed, CAPS will facilitate high‐throughput electronics, sensors, related technologies.