Why do you use silver ink rather than copper, aluminum, or titanium?
That is a great question, for this one we went to Jerry King, our Lab Supervisor, who knows the in’s and out’s of conductive printing.
Several things need to be considered when discussing screen printed conductive inks.
- Electrical performance
- Environmental performance (life of product)
- Cost
- Manufacturability
Silver is used most because it is a very low resistance conductor, and it performs well environmentally.
Metals oxidize when exposed to oxygen and moisture (along with other oxidizing agents). This oxide is not very conductive and has a negative impact on the materials performance. One unique thing about silver is that when it does oxidize, it’s oxide layer is very conductive; this leads to a better performing material for the life of the product.
Are you designing a product and want some help?
Have you seen how silver ink is made? Check out this video, it’s mesmerizing!