Ink-jet printing technique in polymer/carbon black sensing device fabrication

Here we report on ink-jet manufactured chemical sensors based on polymer-carbon black composites. Both sensing elements and electrical contacts have been made by ink-jet on alumina substrates. Filler dispersions, films morphology, electrical properties and time stability of devices have been investigated.Sensors have been tested at increasing acetone and toluene concentrations in air at room temperature. Their behaviour is compared to devices whose electric contacts have been made by a photolithographic process and the sensing film deposited by casting or ink-jet.