Dynamic bending test analysis of inkjet-printed conductors on flexible substrates

The need to optimize space in electronic devices has made flexible electronics an attractive option for manufacturing electronics. Techniques to fabricate flexible circuits have become more and more common and the processes increasingly more efficient. Printed electronics is a potential technique for manufacturing electronic patterns on flexible substrates. In particular, inkjet printing is an effective way to produce fine, thin, conductive structures without touching the substrate material. This study concentrated on dynamic bending analysis of inkjet-printed silver conductors on a polymer substrate. Because printed electronics is a relatively new manufacturing method, not much research is yet available on mechanical endurance of printed structures. By default, thin layers of inkjet-printed traces may just prove to have good tolerance against bending. However, factors such as adhesion between ink layer and substrate and the effect of the porous structure of sintered nanoparticle ink must be studied. This paper evaluates the capability of the inkjet technique on a flexible substrate and benchmarks the results on conventional flexible copper circuit boards. Measurements were made in real time of the resistance of conductors while bending the sample along two different radii. Results showed that printed conductors were superior in endurance over etched copper circuits.