Graphene applications with printed electronics technology

Superior properties of nanomaterials were utilized by the authors in new type of polymer compositions, for emerging technology - printed electronics. This is a new trend in production of electronic devices, providing ability to manufacture low-cost and disposable electronic circuits using well-known printing techniques such as screen printing, roll-to-roll and ink-jet. The use of nanostructures and polymer compositions filled them are topic of interest in fabrication of new type printed electronics circuits, dedicated to transparent electrodes, elastic displays and photovoltaics, various types of sensors (pressure, temperature, biochemical) and in textronics. Paper presents authors achievements in the field of printed composite films containing graphene nanoplatelets. Our goal was to produce a resistive and conductive layers containing graphene with the use of screen printing and spray coating techniques. First step of these investigations was to elaborate a polymer compositions filled with graphene nanoplatelets. Second step was to adjust rheology and printing process parameters to obtain homogeneous, low resistivity layers, in some cases exhibiting high optical transmittance. Elaborated materials can be used for production of thick film hybrid microsystems. Printed electroluminescent structures fabricated with printed transparent graphene electrode are one of current authors achievements. Potential applications of these layers seems to be very promising.