Inkjet Printing Controllable Footprint Lines by Regulating the Dynamic Wettability of Coalescing Ink Droplets

Inkjet printing lines with controllable
footprints is the prerequisite of fabricating high-quality patterns.
However, achieving precise footprints of lines by inkjet printing
is still a challenge because of the difficulty in controlling coalescences
of ink droplets. Here, controllable footprint lines were fabricated
by adjusting the ink droplets’ dynamic wettability which is
depended on the ink droplets’ surface tension difference. The
experimental surface tension difference of 0.77–1.50 mN/m leads
to appropriate surface dynamic wettability to ink droplets and the
formation of straight lines, which agrees well with the theoretical
results. These results will pave the way for printing electronics
and patterns.