RESUMO
Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles were synthesized by ultrasonically-assisted solution process without using any surfactants. The as-synthesized spherical ZnO nanoparticles with diameter of 20 +/- 5 nm possessed crystalline nature with wurtzite hexagonal phase and showed a blue-shifted near band-edge ultra-violet absorption at -340 nm due to quantum confinement effect of ZnO nanoparticles. The as-synthesized ZnO nanoparticles were further formulated as an ink for ink-jet printing application. Jetting and writing of various line patterns on Si and ITO substrates were demonstrated using the as-formulated ZnO ink. UV-treated substrates showed an improvement in the fixation of ink on substrate due to decreased contact angle with controlled surface wettability.
RESUMO
The development of a simple and reliable method for nanoparticles-based ink in an aqueous solution is still a challenge for its inkjet printing application. Herein, we demonstrate the inkjet printing of fractal-aggregated silver (Ag) electrode lines on substrates. Spherical, monodisperse Ag nanoparticles have been synthesized using silver nitrate as a precursor, ethylene glycol as a reducing agent, and polyvinyl pyrrollidone as a capping agent. As-synthesized pure Ag nanoparticles were well dispersed in water-ethylene glycol mixture, which was directly used as an ink for inkjet printing. Using this ink, the Ag electrodes of fractal-connected lines were printed on Si/SiO2, glass, and polymer substrates. The fractal-connected Ag lines were attributed to the diffusion-limited aggregation of Ag nanoparticles and the effect of annealing on conductivity was also examined.
