Among the most advanced applications of nanotechnology is the development of printed flexible electronic circuits (FPEs), which are expected to dominate in the field of electronic devices. FPEs are the evolution of conventional rigid printed circuits boards, the latter being produced through a difficult, high cost and not eco-friendly process. FPEs development is directly linked to the demand for advanced conductive inks that can be printed on cheap flexible substrates with standard printing techniques used in the industry offering high quality prints at low production costs.
Conductive inks have a leading and fast growing share in the ink market as well as a strong socio-economic impact, as new applications, such as in technology consumer products (e.g. printed memories, energy devices, sensors, smart textiles etc.), are constantly emerging. In recent years, however, the progress in graphene research has triggered strong interest towards its application also in the field of conductive inks. At the same time, the requirement for more environmentally friendly printing processes has led to the need for conductive water based inks.
The GRAPHEIN project aims to contribute to these challenges by aiming at the production of conductive water-based printing also building on industrial knowledge and experience and the development of a final product that can be produced in existing industrial lines of ink production, without needing to significantly modify them.
In addition, a functional electronic device as well as specialized printing test images will be designed in order to demonstrate the printing capabilities of the new inks in demanding industrial FPEs applications. Moreover the most promising ink formulations will be upscaled and tested in industrial printing machines. The new GRAPHEIN ink technology will be evaluated on the basis of techno-economic criteria in order to explore the prospects for further exploitation of the project’s results.
Project Τitle: Development of water based conductive inks based on graphene for gravure and flexography printing
ACRONYM: GRAPHEIN
Project Duration: 8 July 2018 – 7 July 2021
Project URL: http://graphein.uniwa.gr/
Project Framework & Funding:
«Co‐financed by the European Union and Greek national funds through the Operational Program Competitiveness, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, under the call RESEARCH – CREATE – INNOVATE (project code:Τ1EDK-02093)»
Funding: 742.440,58 €
Principal Investigator (UNIWA): Dr Vassiliki C. Belessi, Email: vbelessi@uniwa.gr, Tel: +30 210-5385483 and +30 210-5385429
Consortium – Partners:
- University of West Attica (Coordinator) (Chemistry Lab – Section of Technology of Graphic Arts – Department of Graphic Design and Visual Communication and Electronic Devices and Materials Lab- Department of Electrical and Electronic Eng.
- University of Patras (NanoChemistry Lab (NC Lab) – Department of Materials Science)
- Research Center “Demokritos” (Membranes & Materials for Environmental Separations Laboratory (MESL,ΙΝΝ) – Environmental REsearch Laboratory (EREL, INRASTES)).
- Druckfarben S.A.
Research Publications
- Belessi et. al., 2019. Simultaneous reduction and surface functionalization of graphene oxide for highly conductive and water dispersible graphene derivatives, SN Applied Sciences, Vol. 1, pp. 77. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42452-018-0077-9
- Georgitsopoulou S., al., 2019. Highly conductive functionalized reduced graphene oxide, Surfaces and Interfaces, Vol. 16, pp. 152–156. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.surfin.2019.05.010
- Belessi et. al., 2019. Gravure and flexography printing of highly conductive reduced graphene oxide, 3rd International Printing Technologies Symposium, Istanbul, Turkey, pp. 180-188. http://www.printistanbul.org/2019/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Printistanbul_Bildiri_Kitabi_2019_S.pdf
