Now conductive circuits can be printed on an inkjet printer.

Purdue University researchers have learned how to print electrical circuits on inkjet printers. Flexible contours are obtained, which can be used, for example, with fabrics, flexible robots, and other options of flexible electronics. For printing using mechanical sintering of gallium-iridium nanoparticles.

Metals are used for printing, which are in the liquid phase at room temperature. But pure liquid metal inkjet printing is not implemented. To do this, using ultrasound metals are mixed with a solvent, for example, ethanol. And the resulting mixture can already be used in an inkjet printer for printing circuits. After printing, the solvent evaporates.

“The uniqueness of the tracks printed in this way is that they retain conductivity during stretching and other deformations,” explains Rebecca Kramer, senior lecturer at the university. "Thus, the process allows us to print on any surface, up to elastic materials and fabrics." After printing, pressure must be applied to the circuit, which damages the shell of oxidized particles, and gives them conductive properties.
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Flexible electronics is turning into a new trend. It will help to promote popular wearable gadgets to a new level. New discoveries are constantly being made in this area. Recently, Chinese scientists have created conductive threads , and the Americans invented a flexible rechargeable battery .