ElectroHydroDynamic Jet printing

Electrohydrodynamic printing is an alternative fine droplet generation and additive maufacturing technology, that overcomes limitations of conventional Inkjet technologies by exploiting different means to generate the droplets. The ink is hereby pulled from a fine nozzle tip through an electric field between the nozzle and a counter-electrode underneath the substrate. The main advantage of EHD printing is its capabilities to produce a variety of droplet sizes from the same nozzle by manipulating the apllied voltage pulse and thus overcome the limited resolution of conventional Inkjet systems.

The research in EHD printing involves understanding and experimental validation of interaction between different ink characteristics and pulsed voltage parameters, testing and adjustment of different ink formulations. Furthermore characterization and analysis of printed features, such as layer thickness, roughness and conductivity measurements. Conductive inks like silver nanoparticle inks or precursor based formulations can be used to create features for printed electronic devices such as electrode structures for solar cell or memristive devices and others.

For more information check out our current project SPS3D on this topic.