Metal−Organic Decomposition Ink for Printed Electronics

Abstract

Printed electronics is a rapidly expanding research field because of its incomparable economic efficiency. While various types of inks are employed in the printing of electronics, metal–organic decomposition (MOD) ink is an interesting type of ink worth paying attention to. MOD ink consists of metals in their ionic state and the advantages include simple preparation, long shelf life, high jetting stability, and low temperature processing. Additionally, the ease of large-scale fabrication through industrial scale printing processes makes MOD ink ideal for printed electronics. To improve the conductivity, morphology, and variety of the conductive substance resulting from MOD ink, recent research has focused on the variation of the ink composition, printing techniques, and sintering methods. Here, the conventional methods of preparation and processing of MOD ink are introduced, followed by discussion of various research efforts to date. Furthermore, applications and their examples including but not limited to conventional conductive patterning are presented.