Design and fabrication of a PET/PTFE-based piezoelectric squeeze mode drop-on-demand inkjet printhead with interchangeable nozzle

A PET/PTFE-based piezoelectric squeeze mode drop-on-demand inkjet printhead with interchangeable nozzles is designed and fabricated. The printhead chamber is comprised of PET (polyethylene terephthalate) tubing or PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene, or Teflon) tubing, which of a much softer material, than the conventionally used glass tubing. Applying the same electrical voltage, PET/PTFE-based printhead will generate a larger volume change in the material to be dispensed. The novel printhead fabricated herein has successfully dispensed liquids with viscosities up to 100 cps, as compared to 20 cps for the commercial printheads. Furthermore, PTFE-based printhead provides excellent anti-corrosive property when strongly corrosive inks are involved. The interchangeable nozzle design enables the same printhead to be fitted with nozzles of different orifice size, thus a clogged nozzle can be easily removed for cleaning or replacement. The characteristics of this novel printhead are also studied by dispensing glycerin-water solutions. (c) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.