Printed Electronics: Advantages and Disadvantages

This article explores the pros and cons of printed electronics, a technology revolutionizing the way we create electronic devices.

What is Printed Electronics?

Printed electronics, also known as organic or plastic electronics, involves using printing processes to manufacture electronic devices on flexible substrates. This innovative approach employs techniques like flexographic, gravure, rotary screen, and inkjet printing. These methods use specialized inks containing materials such as silver, carbon, copper, or other functional compounds for sensing and light emission.

The circuits are typically printed onto thin, flexible substrates made from materials like PET (Polyethylene terephthalate), PEN (Polyethylene naphthalate), PI (Polyimide), PU (Polyurethane), and even paper.

Unlike conventional electronics manufacturing, which relies on subtractive processing in controlled or vacuum environments, printed electronics uses additive processing (printing) for layer definition under ambient temperature and pressure conditions. This offers several advantages, including lower fabrication costs, the ability to use flexible substrates, reduced cost per unit area, the potential for large area coverage per feature size, and high throughput.

Printed electronics techniques are used to create a wide array of electronic components, including:

• Passive components: Resistors, inductors, capacitors
• Semiconductors: Diodes, transistors
• Power Sources: Primary batteries, thin film solar cells
• Sensors: Gas sensors, electrochemical sensors, temperature, pressure, strain sensors
• Lighting components: OLEDs, LEECs (Light emitting electrochemical cells)
• Displays: E-ink displays, electrochromic displays
• Memory/Logic: Printed logic-flexIC, printed analog functions
• Circuit elements: Printed conductive tracks, printed dielectric and crossover layers
• Smart labels

Benefits or Advantages of Printed Electronics

Printed electronics offers a compelling set of advantages:

• Low Cost: The printing process itself is generally cheaper than traditional fabrication methods.
• Flexible Form Factor: Using flexible substrates enables the creation of devices that can bend and conform to various shapes, unlike rigid circuit boards.
• Light in Weight: Printed electronics are significantly lighter than their conventionally manufactured counterparts.
• Thin in Size: The ability to print thin layers results in devices that are much thinner.
• Robust and Stretchable: Many of the materials used in printed electronics are inherently robust and can even be made stretchable.
• User-Friendly Features: The design flexibility allows for more ergonomic and aesthetically pleasing devices.
• Easy to Produce: Inkjet printing, in particular, makes production relatively straightforward.
• Easy to Integrate: The thin profile facilitates integration into a wider range of products.
• Low Temperature Processing: The low processing temperatures allow the use of flexible and plastic substrates.

Drawbacks or Disadvantages of Printed Electronics

Despite the advantages, printed electronics also have limitations:

• Limited Circuit Capabilities: Printable electronics are typically suited for circuits with:
  • Simple functionality
  • Low power requirements
  • Low current requirements
  • Simple connectivity
  • Low component count
• Lower Performance: Currently, printed electronics generally offer lower performance compared to conventional electronics.
• Shorter Product Life Cycle: Products made using printed electronics may have a shorter lifespan compared to those manufactured with traditional methods.