Computational Study of the Particle Distribution in Aerosol Flow in the Aerosol Jet Printing Process

Aerosol jet printing (AJP) technology can print narrow lines with a uniform thickness and is currently the most established manufacturing technology for printed electronics. The printed result was evaluated experimentally because there is no accurate numerical prediction model. This study introduces a novel approach by integrating a theoretical aerosol diameter calculation model with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to predict and enhance the accuracy of AJP processes. This study compared and verified a theoretical diameter calculation model of aerosol flow using CFD. In CFD, the discrete phase model calculated the particle tracking results using MATLAB. In addition, the particle behavior near the substrate was simulated, and the difference with the experimental results was analyzed. The hydrodynamic simulation considered the effect on the particles inside the aerosol more precisely than the calculation model and analyzed the nozzle process in various environments. The width of the collimated line decreased in the order of the analysis model-CFD-experiment. This result provides evidence that the effect to be considered influenced the width of the line. When considering the evaporation and adsorption behavior of the droplet, the analytical model showed results similar to those of the printed sample. This approach not only advances the predictive capabilities of AJP but also lays the groundwork for optimizing printing parameters, thereby enhancing the quality and reliability of printed electronics.