A New Silver-Based Precursor as Ink for Soft Printing Techniques

A new, easily obtainable silver-pyrrolidone complex that is suitable for printing applications was synthesized by the reaction of silver nitrate and 2-pyrrolidone (Pyl) at room temperature. According to single-crystal X-ray crystallographic studies, the product [Ag(Pyl)(2)]NO3 crystallizes in the monoclinic space group C2/c (no. 15) [a = 5.358(1) angstrom, b = 15.217(3) angstrom, c = 14.986(3) angstrom, beta = 99.296(6)degrees]. Highly concentrated solutions of the complex can be obtained in an ethanol/water mixture, thereby allowing for the manufacture of thin films by means of dip coating. Subsequent UV irradiation and moderate-temperature treatment yielded compact films of elemental silver with thicknesses of about 100 nm and sheet resistances down to 6.5 Omega. Furthermore, microcontact printing (mu cp) and embossing of [Ag(Pyl)(2)]NO3 were performed, also followed by UV treatment. By means of the photoreduction of the complex and subsequent moderate-thermal treatment, defined structures of elemental silver lines were obtained.