Sustainable carbon-based conducting ink derived from wood charcoal: fabrication, electrical characterization, and viability for flexible electronic applications
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.64171/JAES.6.3.53-57Keywords:
Biomass-derived carbon, Conductive ink, Wood charcoal, Flexible electronics, Sustainable materialsAbstract
The transition toward sustainable printed electronics necessitates the development of low-cost, environmentally benign conductive materials without compromising electrical performance. In this work, we report a scalable approach for fabricating a biomass-derived conductive ink using wood charcoal as a renewable carbon precursor. The charcoal was subjected to controlled secondary pyrolysis (550–650 °C) to enhance graphitic domain connectivity, followed by particle size engineering and aqueous dispersion optimization. The resulting carbon framework exhibited intrinsic bulk resistance in the range of ~1–200 Ω/sq.cm., indicating efficient conductive pathways. A solvent-free ink formulation was developed using sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (SDBS) as dispersant and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as a tunable polymer binder. The electrical transport behavior revealed a pronounced percolation-driven mechanism, with an optimal binder concentration of 2% (w/v) achieving a low sheet resistance of 700 Ω/sq.cm., comparable to emerging carbon-based conductive systems. Increasing PVA content led to a non-linear rise in resistance up to 8 kΩ/sq.cm. due to enhanced interparticle separation and insulating effects. The conductive films demonstrated excellent mechanical reliability, with only ~3.2% variation in resistance after 2000 bending cycles (3 cm radius), confirming the stability of the percolative carbon network under repeated deformation. Practical functionality was validated via LED illumination and Joule heating under a 9 V supply, demonstrating suitability for low-power flexible electronic applications. This study establishes wood charcoal as a viable alternative to metallic and nanocarbon inks, offering a sustainable, scalable, and cost-effective pathway for next-generation flexible and wearable electronics, while aligning with circular economy and green manufacturing paradigms.
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