Laser sintering of Cu@Ag core-shell nanoparticles for printed electronics applications

Abstract Bimetallic Cu@Ag core-shell nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized by the reduction of copper 2-[2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethoxy]acetate with hydrazine hydrate in benzyl alcohol followed by the reduction of silver ions on the copper surface using a galvanic replacement reaction. Ink consisting of the as-synthesized Cu@Ag NPs dispersed in a mixture of nontoxic solvents with different boiling temperatures (butanol and propylene glycol ethers) was prepared. Thin layers were spin coated on polyimide films using the developed ink. The conductive layer formed in air in the optimized conditions showed an electrical resistivity of 28.5 μΩ·cm.