The ability to print electronic devices
on soft substrates has
the potential to revolutionize the world of consumable electronics.
Electronic inks are typically constituted of an active nanomaterial
dispersed in a solvent and stabilized by a surfactant which is necessary
to impart colloidal stability. However, once the ink is applied, the
surfactant presence in the final product is detrimental to the device
performance. Here, we report the preparation of polyimines that can
depolymerize and evaporate in the presence of light and heat. These
polyimines were used for the formulation of Ag nanoparticle inks as
well as for the dispersion of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs).
In both cases, stable dispersions were obtained and were applied on
a variety of substrates, leading to low-conductivity inks. However,
the depolymerization and evaporation of the polyimine surfactant could
be triggered by light and heat, then leading to a high-conductivity
ink. By use of a laser engraver equipped with a CO2 laser,
it was possible to spatially control the depolymerization of the MWCNT
ink applied on a poly(ethylene terephthalate) film, while the nonexposed
MWCNT ink was removed by simple solvent washing. Via this technique,
it was possible to direct-write MWCNTs on a flexible substrate, thus
demonstrating the potential of polyimines for the fabrication of electronic
inks.
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