Writing Electronic Devices on Paper with Carbon Nanotube Ink

TL;DR

This paper presents a method to print high-frequency, tunable electronic circuits on paper using a carbon nanotube ink, enabling low-cost flexible electronics with adjustable electrical properties.

Contribution

It introduces a novel ink formulation with functionalized carbon nanotubes for printing tunable electronic circuits directly on paper.

Findings

Printed circuits exhibit semiconducting behavior.

Electrical properties are tunable with applied DC voltage.

Circuits maintain stability after water evaporation.

Abstract

The normal paper used in any printer is among the cheapest flexible organic materials that exist. We demonstrate that we can print on paper high-frequency circuits tunable with an applied dc voltage. This is possible with the help of an ink containing functionalized carbon nanotubes and water. After the water is evaporated from the paper, the nanotubes remain steadily imprinted on paper, showing a semiconducting behaviour and tunable electrical properties.