Digital printing technologies
The development of digital printing technologies paved the way for the research fields of organic and printed electronics, which have become two of the main focal points of materials science in recent years. The efficient production of stretchable conductors, electronic circuits and components is one of the most critical areas of the rapidly growing research field of printed electronics. Printed electronics is considered a key technology for the Internet of Things, the car of the future with flexible displays and sensors as well as the next generations of wearables for healthcare and sports through to smart buildings. "We want to use these methods to produce electrical components easily and cost-effectively using conductive inks or pastes using simple printing techniques such as inkjet or screen printing," explains Prof. Dr. Thomas Grießer from the Institute of Chemistry of Polymeric Materials.
The center
The center will be integrated into the premises of the Department of Polymer Engineering and Science and will be operated jointly by the Institutes of Chemistry of Polymeric Materials and Mining Science. At the heart of the new center will be numerous new pieces of equipment: an inkjet printer will be needed, as well as a device for applying digital inks. A screen printing system and various testing and measuring devices will also be purchased. "In future, around six scientists will be working on digital printing technology at this center," explains Grießer. The total investment volume amounts to 2.1 million euros. The Center for Digital Printing Technologies acts as a central research, development and contact point for the chairs at Montanuniversität Leoben, cooperation partners and interested institutions in the field of printed electronics. With its bundled expertise, the ZDT supports its partners in researching and processing new materials, in acquiring third-party funding in the area of application and contract research, in creating prototypes for innovative applications and in the sustainable further development of the research field.
Scientific objectives
Research into new material systems is a major and constantly growing research focus in the field of printed electronics. Although there are already some established approaches and processes that allow the efficient production of printed components on a laboratory scale, these are still too limited in terms of process time and process efficiency to process the developed materials in the area of square centimeters or square meters.
"One focus of the Centre for Digital Printing Technologies will therefore be research into materials and industrializable digital printing techniques for the large-scale production of printed electronics," summarizes Grießer. In addition to the development of functional inks for the digital printing of components, another focus is on research into substrate and encapsulation materials based on renewable raw materials.
Furthermore, processes for the implementation of printed electronics on three-dimensional surfaces (technical components, consumer goods, textile fabrics, etc.) and their integration in 3D printed molded bodies (e.g. 3D printed circuit boards) are to be researched and further developed. To this end, digital printing technologies are to be combined with robot systems and additive manufacturing processes.
Further information
Prof. Dr. Thomas Grießer
Institute of Chemistry of Polymeric Materials
E-mail: thomas.griesser@unileoben.ac.at
Phone: 03842/402 2358
