Investigation of Inline Curing System Using Halogen Lamp on PET Substrate

Abstract

Halogen lamps have been seen producing faster high temperatures, which potentially reduces the curing time even further, but the current application was performed offline, thus causing the increase in manufacturing time and inaccuracy of the dimension of the ink track printed. Furthermore, the sample may also have been cured by surrounding temperature rather than the selected designated curing process. The inline curing process of conductive ink is required to prevent air cured and simultaneously reduce the manufacturing time. This study aims to evaluate the performance of the inline curing process through a halogen lamp on a PET substrate. The important curing parameters were determined, and the effect on manufacturing time, dispersion rate, and resistance were analyzed. The relationship between the significant parameters, including curing time and temperature, has also been established in which the resistance of the ink track is proportionated to the length of curing time and how high the temperature is applied. The conductive properties were increased when the temperature was elevated, reducing the curing time. However, increasing the time taken to cure the ink caused the substrate to wrap, deform a bit, and slightly damage the sample. It was also observed that the hardness and adhesion level became harder and stronger as the temperature increased. This concludes that the inline curing process using a halogen lamp is feasible on a PET substrate.