Developments in two-dimensional material-based nanoinks for electronics

Abstract

The progress of nanotechnology has affected every aspect of technology today, due to the extraordinary properties of materials that have emerged on the nanoscale and that are different from the bulk ones. For example, 2D nanomaterials have gained the interest of the research community due to their combination of properties (electrical conductivity, fluorescence, etc.) resulting in their exciting potential for a variety of technological applications. Especially, 2D nanomaterials have been proposed as exceptional candidates for the emerging field of printed electronics through the production of two-dimensional material-based nanoinks. For this purpose, it is important to enable the desired properties of 2D materials to be integrated into suitable patterning technologies, such as inkjet, gravure, screen, or flexographic printing. It is worth mentioning that electrical conductors are a core component of electronic devices. As a result, significant effort has been devoted to conductive and especially solution-processed 2D materials. Printing with these materials has been recognized as an excellent approach for preparing functional devices and films with precise thickness, pattern ability, and minimal wasted material. This chapter is an introduction to basic solution-processed 2D materials in printing inks [graphene (G) and graphene derivatives, hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN), black phosphorene (BP), transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), MXenes]. Furthermore, the classification and comparison of 2D material-based nanoinks, depending on the printing methods used, are described. Finally, applications of printed 2D nanomaterials for electronic applications are discussed, followed by an outlook on the potential future trends in 2D materials research and technology.