Volume 18, Issue 3 2106174
Research Article

Intaglio Contact Printing of Versatile Carbon Nanotube Composites and Its Applications for Miniaturizing High-Performance Devices

Seokwon Joo

Seokwon Joo

Graduate School of Convergence Science and Technology, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826 Republic of Korea

Department of Chemical Engineering and Department of Energy Systems Research, Ajou University, Suwon, 16499 Republic of Korea

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Chae-Eun Lee

Chae-Eun Lee

Graduate School of Convergence Science and Technology, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826 Republic of Korea

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Jeongmin Kang

Jeongmin Kang

Department of Chemical Engineering and Department of Energy Systems Research, Ajou University, Suwon, 16499 Republic of Korea

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Soonmin Seo

Corresponding Author

Soonmin Seo

College of BioNano Technology, Gachon University, Gyeonggi, 13120 Republic of Korea

E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]

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Yoon-Kyu Song

Corresponding Author

Yoon-Kyu Song

Graduate School of Convergence Science and Technology, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826 Republic of Korea

E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]

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Ju-Hyung Kim

Corresponding Author

Ju-Hyung Kim

Department of Chemical Engineering and Department of Energy Systems Research, Ajou University, Suwon, 16499 Republic of Korea

E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]

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First published: 08 December 2021
Citations: 5

Abstract

Composites based on carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are promising patternable materials that can be engineered to incorporate the outstanding properties of CNTs into various applications via printing technologies. However, conventional printing methods for CNTs require further improvement to overcome the major drawbacks that limit the patterning resolution and target substrate. Herein, an intaglio contact printing method based on a CNT/paraffin composite is presented for realizing highly precise CNT network patterns without restrictions on the substrate. In this method, the CNT/paraffin composite can be patterned with a high resolution (<10 µm) and neatly transferred onto various substrates with a wide range of surface energies, including human skin. The patterned composite exhibits high durability against structural deformations, and structural damage caused by fatigue accumulation can be cured in a few seconds. In addition, miniaturized sensing and energy-harvesting applications are demonstrated with high performances. The present method facilitates the rapid fabrication of highly precise interdigitated electrodes via one-step printing, enabling high-performance operation and miniaturization of the devices. It is anticipated that these results will not only spur the further development of various applications of CNTs but also contribute to advances in soft lithography methods applicable to many fields of science and engineering.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Data Availability Statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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