2026 Undergraduate Research Showcase

Effect of Gas Flow Focusing Ratio on Line Morphology in Aerosol Jet Printing of h-BN Inks

Document Type

Student Presentation

Presentation Date

4-24-2026

Faculty Sponsor

Dr. Brian Jaques, Dr. Joshua Eixenberger, and Dr. David Estrada

Abstract

Additively manufactured electronics (AME) has garnered significant attention over the last decade due to its capability to produce light-weight, flexible, and conformal electronic devices. Boron nitride (BN), specifically the hexagonal (h-BN) allotrope, stands out as a promising material for printed coatings due to its excellent electronic and thermodynamic properties. Aerosol jet printing (AJP), a prominent AME technique, requires the formulation of compatible BN inks to achieve dense, homogenous, and cohesive coatings. While prior studies have examined how airflow affects AJP line morphology, process parameters are often non-transferable across inks due to material-specific properties. Among the many controllable parameters in AJP, the gas flow focusing ratio, defined as the ratio of sheath to carrier gas flow rates, plays a critical role in determining print quality. This study aims to identify the optimal focusing ratio for an h-BN ink. A test matrix of sheath and carrier gas flow rates was developed, and printed features were characterized using optical microscopy and profilometry. The results established an optimal gas flow focusing ratio range that produced improved line morphology for h-BN inks.

This document is currently not available here.

Share

COinS