Improving the conductive properties of printed electronics layers by treating paper substrates with corona discharge before screen printing

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15587/1729-4061.2025.339913

Keywords:

printed electronics, flexible electronics on paper, graphene conductive layers, wear resistance

Abstract

This study’s object is the conductive layers of printed electronics based on graphene plastisol ink, applied by screen printing on glossy and matte paper substrates, pre-modified by corona discharge. The problem addressed is low adhesion and instability of conductive layers on paper substrates because of their roughness, porosity, and hydrophilicity.

It was found that corona discharge treatment reduces the specific resistance of conductive tracks on matte paper by 25–30% compared to untreated samples; on glossy paper – by 8–12%. The best results were obtained at a power of 3000 W: for matte paper, the resistance of 1 mm wide tracks decreased from 1447.1 Ohm to 1035.6 Ohm, and for 5 mm tracks – from 184.0 Ohm to 161.1 Ohm. After testing, the increase in resistance in the M3000 samples averaged 2–5%, while in untreated counterparts it was up to 46%.

Interpretation of the results revealed that the increase in surface energy and micro-roughness after corona treatment contributes to better wetting and fixation of graphene ink, the formation of a denser conductive layer, and a reduction in contact defects. A distinctive feature is the confirmed stability of electrical characteristics after thermal cycles and a decrease in the proportion of complete failures in pre-treated glossy paper samples. Additionally, a reduction in measurement scatter and improved print reproducibility for narrow tracks (1–2 mm) on matte paper after 3000 W corona treatment was noted.

The practical significance of the results is the possibility of using corona discharge treatment in the production of flexible printed electronics on paper media, especially for miniature elements with high requirements for conductivity and wear resistance. The method is effective in mass roll-to-roll (R2R) production, compatible with thin substrates, and does not require complex integration into the technological process

Author Biographies

Tetiana Kyrychok, National Technical University of Ukraine “Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute”

Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor

Department of Printing Technology

Educational and Scientific Institute for Publishing and Printing

Tetiana Klymenko, National Technical University of Ukraine “Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute”

PhD, Associate Professor

Department of Printing Technology

Educational and Scientific Institute for Publishing and Printing

Bohdan Bardovskyi, National Technical University of Ukraine “Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute”

PhD Student

Department of Printing Technology

Educational and Scientific Institute for Publishing and Printing

Yevhen Avdiakov, National Technical University of Ukraine “Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute”

PhD Student

Department of Printing Technology

Educational and Scientific Institute for Publishing and Printing

References

  1. Khan, Y., Thielens, A., Muin, S., Ting, J., Baumbauer, C., Arias, A. C. (2019). A New Frontier of Printed Electronics: Flexible Hybrid Electronics. Advanced Materials, 32 (15). https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.201905279
  2. Jansson, E., Lyytikäinen, J., Tanninen, P., Eiroma, K., Leminen, V., Immonen, K., Hakola, L. (2022). Suitability of Paper-Based Substrates for Printed Electronics. Materials, 15 (3), 957. https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15030957
  3. Cen-Puc, M., Schander, A., Vargas Gleason, M. G., Lang, W. (2021). An Assessment of Surface Treatments for Adhesion of Polyimide Thin Films. Polymers, 13 (12), 1955. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13121955
  4. Bouhamed, A., Kia, A. M., Naifar, S., Dzhagan, V., Müller, C., Zahn, D. R. T. et al. (2017). Tuning the adhesion between polyimide substrate and MWCNTs/epoxy nanocomposite by surface treatment. Applied Surface Science, 422, 420–429. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsusc.2017.05.177
  5. Corona Surface Treatment. Available at: https://www.bwconverting.com/brand/brand-category/baldwin/corona-surface-treatment
  6. Markgraf, D. A. Corona Treatment: An Overview. Enercon Industries. Available at: https://www.enerconind.com/web-treating/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/10/Enercon-corona-treating-overview.pdf
  7. Khan, S., Lorenzelli, L., Dahiya, R. S. (2015). Technologies for Printing Sensors and Electronics Over Large Flexible Substrates: A Review. IEEE Sensors Journal, 15 (6), 3164–3185. https://doi.org/10.1109/jsen.2014.2375203
  8. Kyrychok, T., Bardovskyi, B. (2023). Classification of Printing Methods and Printed Electronics Materials. Technology and Technique of Typography (Tekhnolohiia I Tekhnika Drukarstva), 4 (82), 22–40. https://doi.org/10.20535/2077-7264.4(82).2023.291596
  9. Huang, Q., Zhu, Y. (2019). Printing Conductive Nanomaterials for Flexible and Stretchable Electronics: A Review of Materials, Processes, and Applications. Advanced Materials Technologies, 4 (5). https://doi.org/10.1002/admt.201800546
  10. Kyrychok, T., Bardovskyi, B., Avdiakov, Y., Dusheiko, M. (2024). Effect of Paper Substrate Pretreatment by Corona Discharge on the Conductivity of Metal Electrodes for Printed Electronics Deposited by Magnetron Sputtering. Technology and Technique of Typography (Tekhnolohiia I Tekhnika Drukarstva), 3 (85), 110–124. https://doi.org/10.20535/2077-7264.3(85).2024.319104
  11. Moric, M., Majnaric, I., Barišic, M. (2020). Effect Of Corona Power On The Cmy Reproduction Quality With Electroink Printed On Fine Art Paper. Cellulose Chemistry and Technology, 54 (1-2), 103–111. https://doi.org/10.35812/cellulosechemtechnol.2020.54.12
  12. Schuman, T. (2023). Corona Discharge Treatment for Surface Modification and Adhesion Improvement. Progress in Adhesion and Adhesives, 203–223. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781394198375.ch5
  13. Hyun, W. J., Secor, E. B., Hersam, M. C., Frisbie, C. D., Francis, L. F. (2014). High‐Resolution Patterning of Graphene by Screen Printing with a Silicon Stencil for Highly Flexible Printed Electronics. Advanced Materials, 27 (1), 109–115. https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.201404133
  14. Arapov, K., Rubingh, E., Abbel, R., Laven, J., de With, G., Friedrich, H. (2015). Conductive Screen Printing Inks by Gelation of Graphene Dispersions. Advanced Functional Materials, 26 (4), 586–593. https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.201504030
  15. Li, D., Lai, W., Zhang, Y., Huang, W. (2018). Printable Transparent Conductive Films for Flexible Electronics. Advanced Materials, 30 (10). https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.201704738
  16. Fu, Q., Chen, Y., Sorieul, M. (2020). Wood-Based Flexible Electronics. ACS Nano, 14 (3), 3528–3538. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsnano.9b09817
  17. Singh, R., Singh, E., Nalwa, H. S. (2017). Inkjet printed nanomaterial based flexible radio frequency identification (RFID) tag sensors for the internet of nano things. RSC Adv., 7 (77), 48597–48630. https://doi.org/10.1039/c7ra07191d
  18. Tortorich, R., Shamkhalichenar, H., Choi, J.-W. (2018). Inkjet-Printed and Paper-Based Electrochemical Sensors. Applied Sciences, 8 (2), 288. https://doi.org/10.3390/app8020288
  19. UGENT Conductive Silkscreen Ink UGDC033SSCDSV – High Conductivity Ink for ABS, PC, PET & More – 1kg Pack. Available at: https://www.ugenttech.com/products/ugent-conductive-silkscreen-ink-ugdc033sscdsv-high-conductivity-ink-for-abs-pc-pet-more-1kg-pack
  20. ToupView: Camera control, imaging software for microscope cameras. ToupTek Photonics. Available at: https://www.touptekphotonics.com/
  21. MarSurf PS 10. Art. no. 6910230. Available at: https://metrology.mahr.com/en-int/products/article/6910230-mobiles-rauheitsmessgeraet-marsurf-ps-10/
  22. Mykroskop Sigeta Biogenic Lite 40x-1000x LED Bino. Available at: https://profoptica.com.ua/mikroskop-sigeta-biogenic-lite-40x-1000x-led-bino/
  23. Multymetr tsyfrovyi Dnipro-M SM600. DNIPRO-M. Available at: https://dnipro-m.ua/tovar/multimetr-czifrovoj-sm600/?campaignid=17724767207&amp%3Badgroupid=&amp%3Btargetid=&amp%3Badid=&amp%3Bnetwork=x&amp%3Bkeyword=&amp%3Bgad_source=1&amp%3Bgclid=CjwKCAjwmaO4BhAhEiwA5p4YLyJuyl8rAyp9ARB0l0RRy0yDs6D8qoQ7cz0SPiLsmP3KFEL4_5VBPxoCbZgQAvD_BwE
  24. MC71 Mini Subzero (64 L) climatic heatandcold chamber: –80 °C to +100 °C, ±0.5 °C stability. Available at: https://www.espec.co.jp/products/qa/qa09/03cfc.html/
  25. Kyrychok, T., Shevchuk, A., Nesterenko, V., Kyrychok, P. (2013). Banknote Paper Deterioration Factors: Circulation Simulator Method. BioResources, 9 (1). https://doi.org/10.15376/biores.9.1.710-724
  26. Kyrychok, T. Yu. (2014). An Analysis of the Precision of Indicators of the General Deterioration of Banknotes. Measurement Techniques, 57 (2), 166–171. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11018-014-0424-1
Improving the conductive properties of printed electronics layers by treating paper substrates with corona discharge before screen printing

Downloads

Published

2025-10-30

How to Cite

Kyrychok, T., Klymenko, T., Bardovskyi, B., & Avdiakov, Y. (2025). Improving the conductive properties of printed electronics layers by treating paper substrates with corona discharge before screen printing. Eastern-European Journal of Enterprise Technologies, 5(1 (137), 19–30. https://doi.org/10.15587/1729-4061.2025.339913

Issue

Vol. 5 No. 1 (137) (2025): Engineering technological systems

Section

Engineering technological systems

License

Copyright (c) 2025 Tetiana Kyrychok, Tetiana Klymenko, Bohdan Bardovskyi, Yevhen Avdiakov

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

The consolidation and conditions for the transfer of copyright (identification of authorship) is carried out in the License Agreement. In particular, the authors reserve the right to the authorship of their manuscript and transfer the first publication of this work to the journal under the terms of the Creative Commons CC BY license. At the same time, they have the right to conclude on their own additional agreements concerning the non-exclusive distribution of the work in the form in which it was published by this journal, but provided that the link to the first publication of the article in this journal is preserved.

A license agreement is a document in which the author warrants that he/she owns all copyright for the work (manuscript, article, etc.).
The authors, signing the License Agreement with TECHNOLOGY CENTER PC, have all rights to the further use of their work, provided that they link to our edition in which the work was published.
According to the terms of the License Agreement, the Publisher TECHNOLOGY CENTER PC does not take away your copyrights and receives permission from the authors to use and dissemination of the publication through the world's scientific resources (own electronic resources, scientometric databases, repositories, libraries, etc.).
In the absence of a signed License Agreement or in the absence of this agreement of identifiers allowing to identify the identity of the author, the editors have no right to work with the manuscript.
It is important to remember that there is another type of agreement between authors and publishers – when copyright is transferred from the authors to the publisher. In this case, the authors lose ownership of their work and may not use it in any way.