Optimizing Parameters for Inkjet Printing Gold Nanoparticle Ink on Glass Substrates
Faculty Mentor Information
Dr. Carol Baumbauer, Boise State University; and Dr. Karthik Srinivasan, Boise State University
Presentation Date
7-15-2026
Abstract
Electrodes produced for electrochemical applications should be fabricated in a way that is inexpensive and highly replicable. Inkjet printing these sensors with conductive nanoparticle ink provides the option of printing smooth, low waste, inexpensive, and reproducible electrodes.These sensors can be used for applications such as monitoring drug metabolism which requires the electrodes to have a smooth topography. However, to print these smooth films effectively there are various parameters that must be optimized. Here we show how ink spreading is affected by the age of commercial gold nanoparticle ink as well as the time between cleaning and printing on the glass substrate used. Our experiments show that the closer to printing that the substrates were cleaned, the more the ink spreads. When comparing the average ink droplet diameter between a substrate cleaned the day of printing to one cleaned four days prior, we found there to be a 34% increase in diameter. Furthermore, our experiments showed that as ink ages, there is less ink spreading when printing as well as increased jetting inconsistencies, and less uniform prints. Optimizing the printing process for commercial nanoparticle gold ink, and understanding its behavior as it ages, enables scalable fabrication of research-grade electrochemical sensors.
Optimizing Parameters for Inkjet Printing Gold Nanoparticle Ink on Glass Substrates
Electrodes produced for electrochemical applications should be fabricated in a way that is inexpensive and highly replicable. Inkjet printing these sensors with conductive nanoparticle ink provides the option of printing smooth, low waste, inexpensive, and reproducible electrodes.These sensors can be used for applications such as monitoring drug metabolism which requires the electrodes to have a smooth topography. However, to print these smooth films effectively there are various parameters that must be optimized. Here we show how ink spreading is affected by the age of commercial gold nanoparticle ink as well as the time between cleaning and printing on the glass substrate used. Our experiments show that the closer to printing that the substrates were cleaned, the more the ink spreads. When comparing the average ink droplet diameter between a substrate cleaned the day of printing to one cleaned four days prior, we found there to be a 34% increase in diameter. Furthermore, our experiments showed that as ink ages, there is less ink spreading when printing as well as increased jetting inconsistencies, and less uniform prints. Optimizing the printing process for commercial nanoparticle gold ink, and understanding its behavior as it ages, enables scalable fabrication of research-grade electrochemical sensors.