| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1647007 | Materials Letters | 2012 | 4 Pages |
Conductive traces printed from nanoparticle loaded silver inks failed due to the application of excessive electrical current. A non-homogeneous microstructure was observed in the vicinity of the failed region consisting of sintered particles, grains and melted particles indicating a significant amount of heat was transferred to the conductive trace, in some cases, resulting in substrate damage. A simple physical model describing the failure mechanisms is proposed.
► We characterize the electrical failure of nanoparticle ink-printed conductive traces. ► We document a variety of microstructures in close proximity to one another. ► The microstructures include grains, sintered and unsintered nanoparticles. ► We describe a model explaining the physical failure mechanisms. ► The model is based on the magnitude of applied stress due to the microstructures.
