Screen Printing for Energy Storage and Functional Electronics: A Review

Printed electronics employ established printing methods to create low-cost, mechanically flexible devices including batteries, supercapacitors, sensors, antennas and RFID tags on plastic, paper and textile substrates. This review focuses on the specific contribution of screen printing to that landsc...

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Main Authors: Juan C. Rubio, Martin Bolduc
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-05-01
Series:Electronic Materials
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2673-3978/6/2/7
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author Juan C. Rubio
Martin Bolduc
author_facet Juan C. Rubio
Martin Bolduc
author_sort Juan C. Rubio
collection DOAJ
description Printed electronics employ established printing methods to create low-cost, mechanically flexible devices including batteries, supercapacitors, sensors, antennas and RFID tags on plastic, paper and textile substrates. This review focuses on the specific contribution of screen printing to that landscape, examining how ink viscosity, mesh selection and squeegee dynamics govern film uniformity, pattern resolution and ultimately device performance. Recent progress in advanced ink systems is surveyed, highlighting carbon allotropes (graphene, carbon nano-onions, carbon nanotubes, graphite), silver and copper nanostructures, MXene and functional oxides that collectively enhance mechanical robustness, electrical conductivity and radio-frequency behavior. Parallel improvements in substrate engineering such as polyimide, PET, TPU, cellulose and elastomers demonstrate the technique’s capacity to accommodate complex geometries for wearable, medical and industrial applications while supporting environmentally responsible material choices such as water-borne binders and bio-based solvents. By mapping two decades of developments across energy-storage layers and functional electronics, the article identifies the key process elements, recurring challenges and emerging sustainable practices that will guide future optimization of screen-printing materials and protocols for high-performance, customizable and eco-friendly flexible devices.
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spelling doaj-art-a776a04322054980aec27d6a55d73d8a2025-08-20T02:24:43ZengMDPI AGElectronic Materials2673-39782025-05-0162710.3390/electronicmat6020007Screen Printing for Energy Storage and Functional Electronics: A ReviewJuan C. Rubio0Martin Bolduc1Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Quebec at Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, QC G9A 5H7, CanadaDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, University of Quebec at Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, QC G9A 5H7, CanadaPrinted electronics employ established printing methods to create low-cost, mechanically flexible devices including batteries, supercapacitors, sensors, antennas and RFID tags on plastic, paper and textile substrates. This review focuses on the specific contribution of screen printing to that landscape, examining how ink viscosity, mesh selection and squeegee dynamics govern film uniformity, pattern resolution and ultimately device performance. Recent progress in advanced ink systems is surveyed, highlighting carbon allotropes (graphene, carbon nano-onions, carbon nanotubes, graphite), silver and copper nanostructures, MXene and functional oxides that collectively enhance mechanical robustness, electrical conductivity and radio-frequency behavior. Parallel improvements in substrate engineering such as polyimide, PET, TPU, cellulose and elastomers demonstrate the technique’s capacity to accommodate complex geometries for wearable, medical and industrial applications while supporting environmentally responsible material choices such as water-borne binders and bio-based solvents. By mapping two decades of developments across energy-storage layers and functional electronics, the article identifies the key process elements, recurring challenges and emerging sustainable practices that will guide future optimization of screen-printing materials and protocols for high-performance, customizable and eco-friendly flexible devices.https://www.mdpi.com/2673-3978/6/2/7printed electronicsscreen printing techniquesadvanced materialsenergy storage devices
spellingShingle Juan C. Rubio
Martin Bolduc
Screen Printing for Energy Storage and Functional Electronics: A Review
Electronic Materials
printed electronics
screen printing techniques
advanced materials
energy storage devices
title Screen Printing for Energy Storage and Functional Electronics: A Review
title_full Screen Printing for Energy Storage and Functional Electronics: A Review
title_fullStr Screen Printing for Energy Storage and Functional Electronics: A Review
title_full_unstemmed Screen Printing for Energy Storage and Functional Electronics: A Review
title_short Screen Printing for Energy Storage and Functional Electronics: A Review
title_sort screen printing for energy storage and functional electronics a review
topic printed electronics
screen printing techniques
advanced materials
energy storage devices
url https://www.mdpi.com/2673-3978/6/2/7
work_keys_str_mv AT juancrubio screenprintingforenergystorageandfunctionalelectronicsareview
AT martinbolduc screenprintingforenergystorageandfunctionalelectronicsareview