Emily Patterson

High-performance metal inks are redefining what's possible from 3D printing. But their adoption is not without its challenges. Here are 3 challenges I feel need to be resolved.

Silver and gold metal inks, by their very nature, are expensive. Copper is a cheaper alternative, but it requires significant energy due to a higher melting point. This results in a trade-off between material and procedural costs.

Stretchable circuitry is a big trend in electronics at the moment. But metallic nanoparticle inks tend to be brittle, making it difficult to align the metal ink properties with those of the stretchable substrate.

Metal ink nanoparticles trend towards the edges of the ink droplet during printing, creating what is known as a "coffee-ring" effect. This means printing is imprecise, and makes it difficult to repeat results in a predictable manner.

These issues are definitely not roadblocks, but they do need to be overcome if metal ink printing is going to fulfil its potential.