Heat-activated separation transfer for multi-purpose digital fabrication of paper and polymer electronics

A multi-purpose printing method for the fabrication of microelectrodes on various flexible substrates, such as conventional polymer films and paper, is required to satisfy diverse user needs for flexible electronics. We report a novel method to fabricate thin or thick micro-electrodes on disposable and flexible substrates, including polyimide and paper. This method involves laser selective sintering of metallic precursors with different viscosities followed by heat-activated separation transfer. High-conductivity and high-resolution metal electrodes, which were created on a glass donor substrate via laser sintering of metallic nanoparticles, were transferred in parallel onto thermally releasable adhesive films due to the strong adhesion of the film at room temperature. The electrodes were re-transferred to target substrates, including copy paper and polymer films, by applying heat and a contact force to the film to instantaneously remove the interfacial adhesion. It is expected that this method will contribute to the digital fabrication of disposable and flexible electronics.