A comparative study of single and dual sintering processes of metal nanoparticles for flexible electronics application

The introduction of metallic nanoparticles (NPs) has revolutionized the fabrication of flexible electronic devices. Metallic NPs have numerous applications in the electronics industry due to their unique shape and size‐dependent properties compared to their bulk counterparts. However, the application of metallic NPs requires additional post‐processing procedures to remove stabilizing agents and additives, to achieve superior electrical conductivity. Herein, the sintering of printed metal NP patterns, including silver (Ag) and copper (Cu) NPs, fabricated on flexible polyimide substrates is explored using single and dual sintering methods. The single sintering methods involve exposing the printed metal NPs to either laser irradiation or thermal treatment. In the case of the dual sintering methods, one approach is to subject the printed metal patterns to thermal treatment followed by laser irradiation, while the other approach involves exposing the printed metal patterns to laser irradiation followed by thermal treatment. Moreover, this study identifies and compares the effects of these various sintering methods on the physical, electrical, chemical, and mechanical properties of the Ag and Cu NP patterns. Finally, the study suggests that dual sintering methods are more effective in improving the electrical conductivity and mechanical properties of the NP patterns under optimized sintering conditions.