Functional Thin Film Solution Processing
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Exciton dynamics and effects of structural order in morphology-controlled J-aggregate assemblies. Advanced Functional Materials, 2018, 1806997. https://doi.org/ | Two‐dimensional transition metal carbides and nitrides (MXenes): synthesis, properties, and electrochemical energy storage applications. Energy and Environmental Materials, 2020, 3, 29-55. https://doi.org/ | Two‐dimensional MXenes for lithium‐sulfur batteries. InfoMat, 2020, 2(4), 613-638. https://doi.org |
Thanks to advances in materials chemistry, researchers have been able to synthesize new materials that allow solution-based processing of next-generation optoelectronic materials
In Printed Electronics, printing technologies are used to produce various kinds of devices, such as electronic circuits, sensors and solar cells. New challenges arise when small scale laboratory processes are transferred to industrially relevant methods.
In the “Functional Thin Film Solution Processing” group, we address scientific and engineering aspects of solution processing, namely
- to overcome the gap between lab-scale sample manufacturing and industrially relevant fabrication technologies. We improve gravure printing as manufacturing technology for printed electronics and slot die coating for up-scaling perovskite solar cell manufacturing.
- to develop novel ink formulations from 2D materials.
- to exploit spontaneous self-assembly related to solvent evaporation to add functionality to wet deposited films.
Our coating laboratory provides infrastructure, workforce and knowhow for the deposition of functional coatings and protection layers on rigid and flexible substrates used for the fabrication of optical and electronic devices.
Available equipment at the coating laboratory will enable the development of thin film coating solutions up to DIN A5 scale. The laboratory will evaluate, develop and offer the best-suited technology and analytic for a given functional coating.
Recent publications:
T. Guo et al., Large-Area Smooth Conductive Films Enabled by Scalable Slot-Die Coating of Ti3C2Tx MXene Aqueous Inks, Adv. Funct. Mater. 2023, 2213183, DOI: 10.1002/adfm.202213183
T. Guo et al., Rational Design of Ti3C2Tx MXene Inks for Conductive, Transparent Films, ACS Nano 2023, DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.2c11180
S. Deng et al., Unraveling Polysulfide's Adsorption and Electrocatalytic Conversion on Metal Oxides for Li-S Batteries, Advanced Science 2023, 10, 2204930, DOI: 10.1002/advs.202204930
M. Jafarpour et al., Functional Ink Formulation for Printing and Coating of Graphene and Other 2D Materials: Challenges and Solutions, Small Science, 2022, 2, 2200040, DOI: 10.1002/smsc.202200040
Dr. Jakob Heier
Phone: +41 58 765 4356
jakob.heier@empa.ch
NEWS
2022:
We congratulate Dr. Sina Abdolhosseinzadeh for winning the Doctoral program EDMX Distinction 8% 2022 award, December 2022.
Congratulations to Dr. Surendra Anantharaman for starting a position as research group leader on Perovskite Optoelectronics at AMO GmbH, Germany, September 2022.
Congratulations to former group member Dr. Jean-Nicolas Tisserant for being promoted to Head of Development at Innovation Lab GmbH, Germany, September 2022.
We congratulate former group member Dr. Chuanfang (John) Zhang to take new position as professor at Sichuan University, Chengdu, China, July 2022.
We welcome Prof. Olimpia Mamula Steiner
from the University of Applied Sciences Western Switzerland
for her sabbatical semester in our laboratory, March 2022
Van der Waals attractions replace additives in new class of printable 2D inks
Nanowerk, February 2022
Our work on processing 2D materials into printable inks
is featured in Science in Pictures by Advanced Science News, February 2022
Archive
2021:
We welcome Shungui and Tiezhu to our team, November 2021
Congratulations to Sina for successfully defending his doctoral dissertation! October 2021
Congratulations to Sina for being awarded with the Empa Young Scientist Fellowship! September 2021
Printing 2D Materials with Van der Waals-Based Inks
AZO Materials, October 2021
Molecules in collective ecstasy
Empa Quarterly, April 2021
Solution processing of MXenes
MaterialsToday, March 2021
2020:
The Transistor out of the Printer, Empa Quarterly, September 2020
New Production Process for Perovskite Cells, Empa News, Februar 2020
Gedruckte Superkondensatoren aus einer "Abfall-Tinte", News HighTech Zentrum Aargau, 2020