SBIR Phase I:CdSe Nanoparticle/Metal-Organic Inks for Printable Electronics

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will develop a low-temperature, atmospheric-pressure deposition process for metal chalcogenide nanomaterials in electronics. This process will use a hybrid ink containing CdSe nanoparticles mixed with a reactive dispersant in a non-aqueous solvent. The reactive dispersant, a metal-organic molecule, will strongly coordinate to CdSe nanoparticles to form a suspension at ambient temperatures. During spray deposition, this reactive dispersant will thermally transform into CdSe and byproducts at relatively low-temperature. As a consequence, this approach will allow printed CdSe thin film materials on temperature-sensitive substrates such as those of interest in flexible displays. The commercial applications of this project include large area flat panel displays, thin film transistor fabrication, jet deposition ink formulations and printed electronic materials.