New device for inkjet-printed electronics

Abstract The new ink feed unit (IFU) developed and installed based on the serial model of Anycubic I3 Mega 3D printer. The developed unit can be easily integrated into the control system of the printer by connecting the control line of the standard step motor responsible for supplying the plastic wire. The minimum volume 0.3 mm3 ink drops were reached using the syringe with an inner diameter of 10 mm and the volume can be reduced to 0.01 mm3 by using the syringe with 2 mm diameter. The tracks of various widths were printed using needles of different diameters and the 0.5% aqueous colloidal solution of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in 1 wt% of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) ink was used. The electrical resistivity values of the printed tracks were obtained on a 5 mm section by the standard four-probe method, and they were within 0.040–0.008 Oh m−1.