Functional Ink Development

In printed electronics, a functional ink is a material engineered to enable specific properties such as conductivity, insulation, adhesion, and luminescence. The characteristics of these inks — including viscosity, surface tension, solid content, and particle size — vary depending on the printing technology used [1]. 

In direct ink writing (DIW), functional inks, whether organic or inorganic, are typically formulated at the micro- or nanoscale. Common materials include metal-based inks (silver, gold, copper) and nanomaterials such as carbon nanotubes (CNT). They enable diverse applications, such as biosensing, energy storage, smart packaging, and more.