PE Could Let Us Print Electronics Onto Everyday Items

The future for electronic circuitry seems very bright. Researchers believe that the next evolutionary step forward is to build them as non-rigid, component-free, flexible, bendable, and easily integrated with various materials. They can be placed on plastics, papers and clothes as well.

This technology isn’t new but various hurdles in the past have prevented it from gaining the traction it deserves. Termed Printed Electronics (PE), it is inexpensive and scalable with a wide range of applications. Through the use of advanced printers, circuits can now be printed on just about any object instead of being limited to circuit boards.

PE has recently gained attention due to innovation in material inks, process technology and design revolution. It is now possible to reliably create electronic circuits on any surface including planar and non-planar ones. This could give rise to better wearable tech, medical monitoring systems as well as other industrial uses.

Researchers from Aarhus University have published an extensive review on PE technology in the scientific journal Advanced Materials. The objective is to keep the research community up to speed on the latest developments on this technology.

Credit: Shweta Agarwala, Assistant Professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Aarhus University

“Through this paper, we have tried to fill the existing void in literature by discussing techniques, material inks, ink properties, post processing, substrates and application to provide a complete guide.” says Assistant Professor Shweta Agarwala, an expert in PE at the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Aarhus University.

PE offers various advantages over current lithography-based technologies. It is cheaper and far simpler to create, which should help accelerate R&D and adoption rate. Since it’s possible to print electronic circuits on anything, the possibilities seem endless. And researchers believe that PE could be the gateway to better electronics.

It could also help solve our e-waste issues. Mounds of discarded electronic devices and component boards end up in garbage dumps around the world. They contain potentially harmful elements that could prove to be detrimental to one’s wellbeing. PE can be used to create biodegradable electronics.

When discarded, these systems could decompose over time, nullifying the environmental impact associated with modern electronic devices. That said, PE technology is still in its infancy. It will take more time and further development before we actually see it incorporated into the devices that we, the general public use.