BASF launches metal-based inks for RFID antennas

CypoPrint is a new range of metal-based inks from BASF for the production of flexible antennas for RFID tags. The non-conductive CypoPrint inks are claimed to offer a more eco-friendly alternative to the current etching technique and represent the first solution for the additive manufacturing of RFID antennas.

The benefits of additive manufacturing compared with aluminum etching are the efficient use of raw materials and the lower environmental impact, says the company. The new CypoPrint inks replace the conductive printing pastes previously used in the additive process and reduce the manufacturing costs of RFID antennas.

The CypoPrint inks are applied to polyester films using a standard printing process and then given a conductive metallic coating in an electroplating system for flexible electronics. ‘Because the CypoPrint inks are converted and made conductive in the electroplating stage, we refer to them as “seeder” inks. CypoPrint is the seed that we apply to the object where we later want to grow copper conductor structures,’ explained Dr Christoffer Kieburg, project manager in BASF's metal systems business. ‘Another customer benefit is the variable layer thickness and conductivity of the antennas, which can be easily adapted to the various memory chips during electroplating.’

In addition to the CypoPrint seeder inks, BASF's portfolio also includes a primer to achieve better adhesion of the antenna structures formed on the film.

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