Recent Advances in Inkjet Printing for Flexible Electronics: Technologies, Materials, Devices, and Applications

ABSTRACT Flexible electronic devices are increasingly being utilized in a wide range of applications in healthcare, information technology, and energy because of their flexibility, stretchability, and enhanced resistance to bending fatigue. The development of flexible electronics is closely related to material selection, structural design, and manufacturing processes. Among these, the manufacturing processes applied serve as primary driving forces that directly affect the functionality, scalability, and cost of devices. Compared with traditional manufacturing technologies, inkjet printing has the unique advantages of high‐efficiency, low‐cost, exceptional flexibility, and superior material utilization rate. Consequently, inkjet printing has become the key technology in accelerating the development of flexible electronics. This review systematically discusses recent advancements in inkjet printing technology for flexible electronics. First, the working principles of several inkjet printing technologies are introduced. Next, the characteristics of various functional ink materials are summarized. This review also discusses recent advances in the manufacturing and performance optimization of typical flexible electronics via inkjet printing. Subsequently, the emerging applications of inkjet‐based flexible electronics, such as clinical medicine, intelligent human‐machine interaction, and energy are presented. Finally, the development prospects and major challenges of inkjet‐based flexible electronics are analyzed and summarized.