A Waterborne, Flexible, and Highly Conductive Silver Ink for Ultra-Rapid Fabrication of Epidermal Electronics
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Epidermal electronics provide a promising solution to key challenges in wearable electronics, such as motion artifacts and low signal-to-noise ratios caused by an imperfect sensor–skin interface. To achieve the optimal performance, skin-worn electronics require high conductivity, flexibility, stability, and biocompatibility. Herein, we present a nontoxic, waterborne conductive ink made of silver and child-safe slime for the fabrication of skin-compatible electronics. The ink formulation includes polyvinyl acetate (PVAc), known as school glue, as a matrix, glyceryl triacetate (GTA) as a plasticizer, sodium tetraborate (Borax) as a crosslinker, and silver (Ag) flakes as the conducting material. Substituting citric acid (CA) for GTA enhances the deformability by more than 100%. With exceptional conductivity (up to 1.17 × 104 S/cm), we demonstrate the ink’s potential in applications such as an epidermal near-field communication (NFC) antenna patch and a wireless ECG system for motion monitoring.
Source: Sensors
DOI: 10.3390/s25072092
Language: English
Subfield: Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,137
OpenAlex ID: W4408946300