Synthesis and Characterization of Silver Nanoparticles and Silver Inks: Review on the Past and Recent Technology Roadmaps

The synthesis of silver nanoparticles for silver ink formation has attracted broad interest in the electronic part printing and semiconductor chip industry due to the extraordinary electrical and mechanical properties of these materials. The preparation of silver nanoparticles through a physical or chemical reduction process is the most common methodology applied to obtain nanoparticles with the required size, shape and surface morphology. The chemical solution or solvent carrier applied for silver ink formulation must be applied simultaneously with the direct writing technique to produce the desired adherence, viscosity, and reliable performance. This review paper discusses the details concerning the past and recent advancement of the synthesis and characterization of silver nanoparticles and silver ink formation. A review on the advantages of various sintering techniques, which aim to achieve the electrical and mechanical properties of the required printed structure, is also included. A brief summary concerning the recent challenges and improvement approaches is presented at the end of this review.