Description:
This invention presents an air stable copper alloy conductive ink that can be printed and sintered at or near room temperature while achieving high conductivity. Its oxidation resistant alloy design and compatibility with heat sensitive substrates enable low cost, flexible, and sustainable electronic manufacturing for wearable devices and printed circuits.
Background:
The demand for flexible, wearable, and low cost electronics is growing rapidly, yet traditional conductive inks rely on expensive materials like silver or require high temperature processing that damages temperature sensitive substrates. Additionally, copper based inks typically suffer from rapid oxidation and poor air stability, limiting their use in scalable, ambient condition fabrication. There is a pressing need for conductive inks that remain stable in air, are low cost, and achieve high conductivity without high temperature sintering.
Technology Overview:
The invention discloses a copper based nanoparticle and nanowire ink alloyed with metals such as gold, zinc, nickel, tin, or aluminum and stabilized by capping agents. After printing via methods like aerosol jet, inkjet, screen, or dispenser printing, the capping agents are desorbed and the alloyed nanostructures sinter at low or room temperature to form highly conductive traces. This approach prevents oxidation, achieves high conductivity, and allows direct printing on flexible or biodegradable substrates without thermal damage.
Advantages:
• Exceptional air stability allows long term use and storage without oxidation
• Room temperature sintering enables compatibility with temperature sensitive materials like paper and polymers
• Significantly lower cost than silver based inks while maintaining comparable conductivity
• High electrical performance with conductivity approaching bulk copper
• Versatility across multiple printing methods including aerosol jet, inkjet, screen, and dispenser printing
• Environmentally sustainable due to low temperature processing and use of earth abundant metals
• Direct printing capability on porous and fibrous substrates without special surface treatments
Applications:
• Flexible printed electronics for displays and RFID tags
• Wearable health and environmental sensors
• Smart packaging with embedded biodegradable sensors
• Flexible IoT antennas and circuits for wireless systems
• Biodegradable or bioabsorbable medical electronics
• Printed conductive components for photovoltaic and thermal management systems
• Smart textiles and e textile applications
Intellectual Property Summary:
• United States 63/050523 Provisional 7/10/2020 Converted 10/3/2024
• United States 17/305583 Utility 7/9/2021 Patented 5/21/2024 US 11,987,717 Publication US 2022 0010160 A1
• United States 18/668241 Utility 5/19/2024 Filed 5/20/2024
Stage of Development:
Prototype validated on lab scale tests using known metal concentrations and ink formulating solutions.
Licensing Status:
This technology is available for licensing.
Licensing Potential:
Suitable for printed electronics manufacturers, wearable device developers, smart packaging companies, and IoT hardware producers seeking low cost, air stable, room temperature conductive inks.
Additional Information:
Information available upon request.
Inventors:
Chuan Jian Zhong, Shan Yan, Shiyao Shan, Ning He, Ning Kang, Jin Luo