A new invention from a team that includes a University of Maryland researcher halts the copper degradation cycle that turns statues, roofs, and even nickels green. Researchers have developed a liquid reactive ink that can print copper onto nearly any surface without oxidation or corrosion.
Shenqiang Ren, a professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, along with Professor Liangbing Hu from Yale University and Senior Scientist Haimei Zheng from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California, led a collaborative effort that spanned over a decade of discovery. The results of this work were published in Science as a cover article.
Copper is a hidden backbone of modern life, carrying electricity in AI systems, data centers, wireless networks, circuit boards, solar panels, and batteries. Given its applicability across industries, the reactive ink could broadly lower costs.
"These printed copper traces act as the 'wiring' inside next-generation electronics, produced faster, cheaper and with less waste," said Ren.
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