Layering of Copper-ink using 3D Printing & Characterization

The use of nano materials, particularly copper is of interest, in areas like printed electronics and chemical engineering. Copper is highly conductive in nature and thin films on a substrate makes the structure more significant. Printing copper requires melting of macro size particles conventionally, whereas the viscous mixture of nano ink composition, utilizing spray mechanism in 3D printing for precision. The copper particles of around 100 nm sizes is used for experimentation and a coating is made with a thickness ranging 6.41 μm to 8.41 μm without usage of laser mechanisms, which is shown through SEM images. The grain size distribution is uniform and porosity is 0.56% measured through optical microscope. Resistivity measured is 7μ ohm cm / 7e ohm m. The structure will be further utilized for an electrochemical sensing mechanism based on water quality measurement procedure. The advantages are lower processing temperature and usage of vacuum and controlled environment is avoided. This is cost-effective to avoid bigger 3D printing machineries. Key-Words: layering, copper, 3D-Printing, sintering, electro less printing, conductive