Designer Precursor Development for Copper Inks for Inkjet Printing

Recent work in the CEK group has identified a number of interesting copper precursors that have been used to deposit copper. Having identified that ligand design is intrinsic to clean, low temperature decomposition from thermal gravimetric analysis, we now wish to explore more advanced ligand design and synthesis. CEK and JDW have discussed a collaboration that could bring together the recent advances in electroorganic synthesis of ligands and then copper precursors (JDW) with inkjet printing (CEK recently acquired a FujiFilm Dimatix inkjet printer) of conductive tracks which can be placed into electrical devices (CEK). The aim of this project is to develop novel molecular precursors of copper, formulate these into metal inks and subsequently print highly conductive metal features onto low cost flexible substrates. Key scientific challenges: the design and synthesis of copper precursors such that following formulation into inks they can be printed in air, then sintered to decompose cleanly and quickly at temperatures below 150 degree C, yielding conductive metallic features. The program of research will provide an expansion into new areas for CEK (electroorganic synthesis) and JDW (electronic materials). Successful collaboration will give both groups new directions and EPSRC grant applications with preliminary results are a certainty. As a new starter CEK is in the process of applying for an EPSRC new investigator grant and has applied for a Royal Society research grant (pending) and an Intermobility Grant with the FNR (awarded May 2017, 50k).