Inkjet-Printed Microstrip Patch Antennas Realized on Textile for Wearable Applications

Author

Whittow, William G. ; Chauraya, Alford ; Vardaxoglou, J.C. ; Yi Li ; Torah, Russel ; Kai Yang ; Beeby, Steve ; Tudor, John

Author_Institution

Wireless Commun. Res. Group, Loughborough Univ., Loughborough, UK

Volume

13

fYear

2014

fDate

2014

Firstpage

71

Lastpage

74

Abstract

This letter introduces a new technique of inkjet printing antennas on textiles. A screen-printed interface layer was used to reduce the surface roughness of the polyester/cotton material that facilitated the printing of a continuous conducting surface. Conducting ink was used to create three inkjet-printed microstrip patch antennas. An efficiency of 53% was achieved for a fully flexible antenna with two layers of ink. Measurements of the antennas bent around a polystyrene cylinder indicated that a second layer of ink improved the robustness to bending.

Keywords

conducting materials; cotton fabrics; ink jet printing; microstrip antennas; textiles; wearable antennas; conducting ink; continuous conducting surface; cotton material; fully flexible antenna; inkjet printing antenna; microstrip patch antenna; polyester material; polystyrene cylinder; screen-printed interface layer; surface roughness; textile; wearable electronics; Antenna measurements; Antennas; Fabrics; Ink; Printing; Silver; Inkjet printing; microstrip patch antennas; textile; wearable electronics;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Antennas and Wireless Propagation Letters, IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1536-1225

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/LAWP.2013.2295942

Filename

6693734