Seeking a way to print technology, improve device portability, and lower the cost of electronics, a team of engineers at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, led by Assistant Professor Anming Hu, has discovered a way to print circuits on paper.

“Being able to design the circuit you want and then print it out allows for more responsive designs, easier control, and lower costs,” said Hu. “The ability to print out the exact circuit you need the moment you need it can revolutionize a number of things.”

Someday, using a paper circuit enclosed in a liquid-proof barrier, patients could be implanted with a sensor that could detect when their sugar levels were out of kilter and signal itself to release insulin into their body.

“Being able to have an enclosed waterproof system with its own power source would open up a lot of areas medically,” said Hu. “Right now, the focus is on being able to make the lines that form the circuit smaller.”

The system works like a standard inkjet printer, but dispenses liquid metal instead of ink. They researchers also found that standard inkjet paper worked well and was inexpensive. They use silver to make the nanowire, which they say, is still much cheaper than making electric circuits the usual way, and holds up far better than copper, which has a tendency to oxidize too quickly.

Hu’s team was able to fold the paper-thin circuit 5,000 times with a high level of functionality still intact, answering questions about the durability of the finished product.

While medical uses could have the most day-to-day impact for such circuits, their flexibility and ease of use means anything electronic could benefit.

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