Dispenser and aerosoljet printed electrical functionalities

Printing offers the possibility to add electrical functionalities on or into 3D components. The process generates 2D and 3D structures or multilayers with a high material utilization. For high viscosity pastes dispenser printing was applied; for low viscosity materials and fine patterns aerosoljet printing is suited. Mainly polymers are used as active printed material. Besides, a wide variety of metal based contact materials is available including silver, copper or nickel. As application example the printing of polymer based thermoelectric modules for the cost-efficient recycling of waste heat in the temperature range from room temperature up to 100 °C was demonstrated. Several designs are evaluated. Beneath two vertical designs also the printing of p-type and n-type thermoelectric material into non-woven substrates is studied, enabling the manufacturing of flexible thermoelectric modules in a continuous, automated process.