A New Silver‐Based Precursor as Ink for Soft Printing Techniques

A new, easily obtainable silver–pyrrolidone complex that is suitable for printing applications was synthesized by the reaction of silver nitrate and 2‐pyrrolidone (Pyl) at room temperature. According to single‐crystal X‐ray crystallographic studies, the product [Ag(Pyl)2]NO3 crystallizes in the monoclinic space group C2/c (no. 15) [a = 5.358(1) Å, b = 15.217(3) Å, c = 14.986(3) Å, β = 99.296(6)°]. Highly concentrated solutions of the complex can be obtained in an ethanol/water mixture, thereby allowing for the manufacture of thin films by means of dip coating. Subsequent UV irradiation and moderate‐temperature treatment yielded compact films of elemental silver with thicknesses of about 100 nm and sheet resistances down to 6.5 Ω. Furthermore, microcontact printing (μcp) and embossing of [Ag(Pyl)2]NO3 were performed, also followed by UV treatment. By means of the photoreduction of the complex and subsequent moderate‐thermal treatment, defined structures of elemental silver lines were obtained.