Publication

Abstract : Printed electronics (PE) over thin flexible and conformal substrates have opened up an entirely new era of sensors and associated electronic devices significantly reducing their cost and demonstrating tremendous advancements in the past years. Demand for technology at low-cost settings and capability of tuning material properties towards improved sensing has made screen printing technique, the most preferred one among all the established PE techniques as reflected through current market trends. However, various commercialization challenges like ink stability, fabrication scalability, device flexibility, miniaturization and integration of screen printed electronic (SPE) devices with ICs still needs to be addressed. Here we attempt to provide a roadmap of the various developments made since the last decade and provide an outlook towards future SPE devices. A brief insight on advanced nanomaterials for ink formulation and the choice of substrates and solvents has also been provided with emphasis on use of green eco-sustainable materials for different ink-components to realize completely biodegradable and recyclable SPE devices. Thereafter, broad applications of screen printing particularly in development of physical sensors for detection of pressure, strain, temperature, humidity, etc., followed by physiological sensors for wearable health monitoring, along with applications of energy storage devices like supercapacitors and bio-fuel cells, gas sensors as well as lighting devices have been discussed, encompassing a broader domain catering to today’s lifestyle and healthcare demand. Finally, the review article concludes with a novel highlight into the current unresolved bottlenecks along with a futuristic view of using eco-friendly materials, device reusability, and integration with wireless/IoT technology for achieving global techno-economic benefits of SPE devices.