Inkjet printing has been widely used to fabricate functional patterns to realize a range of low-cost, large-area, and flexible functional devices which is mask-free, cost-effective, and digital method. Tremendous researches have been done to improve printing-resolution, morphology of nanoparticles patterns through modifying the substrate wettability, optimizing ink viscosity, and controlling the temperature. Here we proposed an alternation to achieve high-resolution and well-designed nanoparticle pattern using inkjet printing by controlling substrate rheology. In our study, we used PDMS with different rheology properties as substrates. The rheology of the poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) was regulated by the pre-curing time. The PDMS substrate could exhibit three different rheology states including liquid, viscoelastic, and solid states. By controlling the PDMS rheology, the three kinds of photonic crystal (PC) dots could be easily integrated sequentially into one pattern using the layer-by-layer printing strategy and monodispersed polymer sphere latex as ink. The information can be encoded and stored in shapes and read out by the difference in optical properties. A four-dimensional screening anti-counterfeiting quick response code composed of differently shaped PC dots has been fabricated that could display four images depending on different lighting conditions. Moreover, a transparent and bendable film with three layers of embedded conductive circuits was fabricated. Benefited from the embedded structure, the electrical performance of the circuits was stable even after thousands times of bending cycles.

Inkjet printing high-resolution nanoparticle patterns by controlling substrate rheology

253rd National Meeting (2017)

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