Screen-Printing-Based Fabrication of Silver Patterns on Polyimide Substrate

A simple method for fabricating silver circuit patterns on polyimide (PI) substrate was developed. Firstly, partially potassium hydroxide (KOH) modified pattern was produced on the surface of PI film via a screen printing process. Then the silver ions were doped into the interior of the PI substrate through an ion-exchange reaction. Finally, the silver circuit patterns with the lines of 200 µm width were formed on the PI substrate surface due to the reduction reaction of dimethylamine borane (DMAB). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis, infrared spectra (FT-IR) and contact angles analyses were conducted to study the morphology, composition and structure of the obtained silver patterns on the PI substrate. This approach is simple and versatile, and need not the expensive apparatus, which is a promising candidate for a broad range of application in high-density circuitry electronic industry.