According to a team of researchers from the State University of Iowa, United States, graphene ink can produce inexpensive, flexible, highly conductive and water resistant electronic circuits. According to one report, nanotechnology could place the high value on washable and stain-resistant devices, on ice or biofilm formation.
Jonathan Claussen, assistant professor of mechanical engineering at the university, who belongs to the Ames Laboratory of the US Department of Energy, said in the document:
“We are taking graphene printed with inkjet and refining it with a laser to create functional materials.”
Claussen and the nanoengineers of the research team use ink-printing technology to create electrical circuits in flexible materials. In this case, the chosen ink is graphene flakes. That is a highly conductive material about electricity and heat. That is also stable and biocompatible.
However, the printed flakes are not as conductive and must be processed to remove non-conductive binders. Thus enhancing the conductivity and making them useful for electronic components or sensors. Usually, such a process would involve the application of heat or chemicals. But Claussen and the research group developed a laser process that treats graphene without damaging the printing surface, even if it is paper.
How Does Graphene ink work?
Another application of laser processing technology is to use graphene printed circuits. That can contain drops of water and turn them into water-resistant channels. Claussen says that the density of the energy of the laser processing. So, allows adjusting the degree of hydrophobicity and the conductivity of the graphene printed circuits.
According to the study, this discovery opens up all kinds of possibilities for the creation of new electronic components and sensors. In this sense, the co-author of the document, Loreen Stromberg, said that one of the interests of the institute. That is to develop inflammatory material to eliminate the accumulation of biological material on the surface.
This technology may also apply to the field of flexible electronics, washable textile sensors, microfluidic technologies, resistance reduction, thawing, electrochemical sensors, and technology. That uses graphene structures and electrical simulation to produce stem cells for nerve regeneration.