7. Printed Electronics for Aerospace Applications

Printed electronics refers to an area of additive manufacturing (AM) that focuses specifically on using AM printing techniques, such as inkjet, aerosol jet, or extrusion printing, for electronic device applications. These types of technologies have emerged in the last several years as a new way to manufacture electronic elements and have found multiple application areas in both commercial industry and the defense arena. This chapter will focus on the technology and materials considerations for printed electronics and highlight aerospace application areas. Starting with materials considerations, we provide an overview of types of materials and inks being used for printed electronics, including materials challenges, such as material system compatibility and performance, post-processing techniques, and material characterization. We conclude with aerospace applications, specifically, an overview of select unmanned aerial vehicle antenna applications.