Inkjet-Printed Electronics on Paper for RF Identification (RFID) and Sensing

Abstract

The newly developed research area of inkjet-printed radio frequency (RF) electronics on cellulose-based and synthetic paper substrates is introduced in this paper. This review paper presents the electrical properties of the paper substrates, the printed silver nanoparticle-based thin films, the dielectric layers, and the catalyst-based metallization process. Numerous inkjet-printed microwave passive/ative systems on paper, such as a printed radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, an RFID-enabled sensor utilizing carbon nanotubes (CNTs), a substrate-integrated waveguide (SIW), fully printed vias, an autonomous solar-powered beacon oscillator (active antenna), and artificial magnetic conductors (AMC), are discussed. The reported technology could potentially act as the foundation for true “green” low-cost scalable wireless topologies for autonomous Internet-of-Things (IoT), bio-monitoring, and “smart skin” applications.

A Review on Printed Electronics: Fabrication Methods, Inks, Substrates, Applications and Environmental Impacts

“…Paper substrate is an attractive alternative for printed electronics, since it is cheap, flexible, environmentally friendly and biodegradable [192]. The disadvantages of paper are its high surface roughness, porosity, vapor permeability and poor moisture resistance.…”

FFF 3D Printing in Electronic Applications: Dielectric and Thermal Properties of Selected Polymers

“…the conductive tracks and their contact with the electrical components can be realized by the (i) integration of the conductive wires and foils [35]; (ii) deposition of conductive inks or pastes by aerosol jet printing or dispensing; and (iii) 3D printing of the conductive filaments. On the one hand, the deposition of conductive inks or pastes is suitable for the realization of very fine conductive structures [36,37]; on the other hand, these materials have to be subsequently cured at a high temperature or by a special cure method [38,39]. The deposition of conductive materials can be replaced by the 3D printing of conductive filaments.…”

A Flexible and Low-Cost UHF RFID Tag Antenna for Blood Bag Traceability

“…Except for three tags [19,22,23], most are flexible. In addition, many flexible tag antennas have been developed for purposes different from the one addressed in this paper [28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35]. Among them, those based on paper material [28,29], highconductivity graphene assembly film (HCGAF) [30], inductive coupling loop [31], textile fabric and yarn [32,33], and PTFE and Kapton substrates [34,35] stand out.…”