Printed electronics is a set of printing methods used to create electronic devices and circuits on various substrates. Printing typically uses common printing presses, and inks composed of carbon nanotubes, graphene, or other conducting materials. These inks are sometimes referred to as “functional inks”. Functional inks can be deposited on a substrate in a single step using a variety of methods, including screen printing, flexography, gravure, offset lithography, and inkjet printing. Once deposited, the inks can be cured using various methods, such as UV curing, thermal curing, or electron-beam curing. Printed electronics have a wide range of applications, including sensors, displays, batteries, and solar cells.
One of the emerging trends in printed electronics is the use of nanomaterials to create printed electronics with new and improved properties. Another trend is the use of flexible and stretchable electronics, which can be used in a variety of applications such as wearable electronics and medical devices.