Influence of surface properties of coated papers on printed electronics

Thin and narrow conductive patterns of metal (silver) and organic polymer (polyaniline) were printed on various coated paper samples. A detailed characterization of the physical properties (i.e., short length scale roughness, surface energy, and air permeability) of the paper samples was conducted. These properties were correlated with print quality (print resolution and edge waviness) and electrical performance (resistance) of the printed wires. A plastic film was used as a reference substrate. The print resolution and the magnitude of the edge waviness were affected by the complex interplay of different physical properties of both the substrate and the ink. On the other hand, the resistance of the printed wires was found to correlate linearly with the short length scale roughness of the print substrate. The electrical performance of the paper substrates showing the highest conductivity for the printed patterns was comparable to that of the plastic film. The paper substrate on which the printed wires showed the best electrical performance was used as a substrate for fabrication of an organic transistor with low operating voltage.