1. The effect of graphite and carbon black ratios on conductive ink performance
- Author
-
Phillips, Chris, Al-Ahmadi, Awadh, Potts, Sarah-Jane, Claypole, Tim, and Deganello, Davide
- Subjects
Materials science ,Mechanical Engineering ,chemistry.chemical_element ,02 engineering and technology ,Carbon black ,Conductivity ,010402 general chemistry ,021001 nanoscience & nanotechnology ,01 natural sciences ,7. Clean energy ,0104 chemical sciences ,chemistry ,Mechanics of Materials ,Screen printing ,Conductive ink ,Surface roughness ,General Materials Science ,Graphite ,Composite material ,0210 nano-technology ,Electrical conductor ,Carbon ,Composites - Abstract
Conductive inks based on graphite and carbon black are used in a host of applications including energy storage, energy harvesting, electrochemical sensors and printed heaters. This requires accurate control of electrical properties tailored to the application; ink formulation is a fundamental element of this. Data on how formulation relates to properties have tended to apply to only single types of conductor at any time, with data on mixed types of carbon only empirical thus far. Therefore, screen printable carbon inks with differing graphite, carbon black and vinyl polymer content were formulated and printed to establish the effect on rheology, deposition and conductivity. The study found that at a higher total carbon loading ink of 29.4% by mass, optimal conductivity (0.029 Ω cm) was achieved at a graphite to carbon black ratio of 2.6 to 1. For a lower total carbon loading (21.7 mass %), this ratio was reduced to 1.8 to 1. Formulation affected viscosity and hence ink transfer and also surface roughness due to retention of features from the screen printing mesh and the inherent roughness of the carbon components, as well as the ability of features to be reproduced consistently.
- Published
- 2017