Inkjet printing of polymers : state of the art and future developments

Inkjet printing is considered to be a key technology in the field of defined polymer deposition. This article provides an introduction to inkjet printing technology and a short overview of the available instrumentation. Examples of polymer inkjet printing are given, including the manufacturing of multicolor polymer light-emitting diode displays, polymer electronics, three-dimensional printing, and oral dosage forms for controlled drug release. Special emphasis is placed upon the utilized polymers and conditions, such as polymer structure, molar mass, solvents, and concentration. Studies on viscoelastic fluid jets and the formation of viscoelastic droplets under gravity indicate that strain hardening is the key parameter that determines the inkjet printability of polymer solutions.