Studies on Morphological Evolution of Gravure-Printed ZnO Thin Films Induced by Low-Temperature Vapor Post-Treatment.

In recent years, the morphology control of semiconductor nanomaterials has been attracting increasing attention toward maximizing their functional properties and reaching their end use in real-world devices. However, the development of easy and cost-effective methods for preparing large-scale patterned semiconductor structures on flexible temperature-sensitive substrates remains ever in demand. In this study, vapor post-treatment (VPT) is investigated as a potential, simple and low-cost post-preparative method to morphologically modify gravure-printed zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticulate thin films at low temperatures.

Gravure Printing of Graphite-Based Anodes for Lithium-Ion Printed Batteries.

Aimed at the growing interest in printed batteries, widely used industrial gravure printing was recently proven to be able to produce high-quality electrodes for lithium-ion batteries (LiBs), demonstrating its utility in the study of new functional materials. Here, for the first time, gravure printing was investigated for the mass production of well-known low-cost graphite-based anodes for LiBs. Graphite was also chosen as a case study to explore the influence of process parameters on the layer microstructure and the performance of the printed anodes.

Dual-step method to manufacture a polymeric GRIN lens with a high refractive index range.

We introduce a new method to obtain gradient index (GRIN) lenses by dual-step process based on interdiffusion of two different polymeric solutions and gelation of the final mixture. The aim of the study was investigated as a simple process to produce a gel characterized by a continuous axial concentration gradient starting from two thermoplastic polymers [poly(vinyl alcohol) and poly(acrylic acid)] having different refractive indexes. We also introduced a laser scanning system that is conveniently implemented to analyze the refractive index variation in the samples.

Low-Temperature Growth of ZnO Nanowires from Gravure-Printed ZnO Nanoparticle Seed Layers for Flexible Piezoelectric Devices.

Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanowires (NWs) are excellent candidates for the fabrication of energy harvesters, mechanical sensors, and piezotronic and piezophototronic devices. In order to integrate ZnO NWs into flexible devices, low-temperature fabrication methods are required that do not damage the plastic substrate. To date, the deposition of patterned ceramic thin films on flexible substrates is a difficult task to perform under vacuum-free conditions.

Sustainable, Fluorine-Free, Low Cost and Easily Processable Materials for Hydrophobic Coatings on Flexible Plastic Substrates.

Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) and stearic acid are herein used for the preparation of hydrophobic coatings with good moisture barrier property on flexible plastic substrates. Fast, high throughput, mild and easy-to-run processing techniques, like airbrushing and gravure printing, are applied for thin films deposition of these materials. The results of this study indicated that the best hydrophobic coating in terms of water contact angle (115°) is obtained through a two-steps printing deposition of a ZnONPs layer followed by a stearic acid layer.

LFP-Based Gravure Printed Cathodes for Lithium-Ion Printed Batteries.

Printed batteries have undergone increased investigation in recent years because of the growing daily use of small electronic devices. With this in mind, industrial gravure printing has emerged as a suitable production technology due to its high speed and quality, and its capability to produce any shape of image. The technique is one of the most appealing for the production of functional layers for many different purposes, but it has not been highly investigated.