Professor Kate Black

My groups main research targets the development of novel functional materials, using inkjet printing, for the manufacture of electronic and optoelectronic devices. Inkjet printing is a non-contact, low-cost, high-speed, additive, and eco-friendly technique. At the present time, ink formulations are predominantly based on nanoparticle (NP) solutions, or dispersants which have associated processing and performance drawbacks, such as high processing temperatures and the need for subsequent sintering steps. My group is tackling these issues by taking the highly novel route of using particle-free reactive organometallic (ROM) inks. This class of new ROM inks represents the ‘cutting edge’ and signifies a step-change in the nanoscale control of microstructure in printed dielectrics, conductors and semiconductors. Our research exploits the organometallic precursor chemistry developed at Liverpool, for chemical vapour and atomic layer deposition, in the context of inkjet injection. We are currently exploiting this approach to deposit metal interconnects for PV cells, at low temperatures and without subsequent sintering steps. Using this approach, the MO route can be tailored to ensure the deposition of both new materials and combinations of functional materials, for a wide variety of applications such as; transparent conducting oxides, PV absorber layers, batteries, sensors and super capacitors, amongst many others. Our main drive is to broaden the palette of materials which can be processed by inkjet printing by employing colloids, sol-gels, hydrogels and Reactive Organometallic (ROM) based inks. These novel inks can be employed in planar and 3D printing to produce functional materials with specfically targeted compositions, structures, and properties.

We are exploring the potential of employing inkjet printing, as a tool for developing a high-throughput material fabrication technique. Thereby producing totally synthetically modified substrates with optimised dynamic surface chemistries, for the control of biological responses. This will eliminate modifying substrates with peptides or proteins as well as obviating the need for supplementing the growth environment with growth factors and cytokines. Inkjet printing offers advantages over existing patterning techniques by enabling an automated, high-throughput process, with precise control and repeatability.