Overview
IEC 62899-202:2016 - Printed electronics - Part 202: Materials - Conductive ink - defines terminology and standardized methods for the characterisation, evaluation and storage of conductive inks and conductive layers made from conductive inks. Published by the IEC Technical Committee 119 (Printed electronics), this part of the IEC 62899 series provides a generic, test-method focused specification intended for producers, test labs and designers working with printed conductive materials.
Key Topics
The standard specifies measurement and evaluation methods across physical, electrical and optical properties. Major technical topics include:
- Terms and definitions specific to conductive inks and printed conductive layers.
- Atmospheric conditions for conditioning and testing (standard test environments).
- Characterisation of conductive ink: solid content, non‑volatile content, ash content, foreign matter.
- Physical properties: density, rheology (viscosity), surface tension, particle/flake size of conductive materials, flashpoint and evaporation rate.
- Evaluation of conductive layers: test-piece preparation, substrate guidance and dimensional requirements.
- Electrical properties: volume resistivity and surface resistivity (including four‑point probe methods and probe correction factors).
- Optical properties: luminous transmittance, chromaticity, colour uniformity, haze and refractive index.
- Storage and ageing: storage conditions, methods to measure aged deterioration and reporting requirements.
- Normative references to established test methods (many ISO standards) for density, viscosity, refractive index, flash point and surface tension.
Applications
IEC 62899-202 is practical for:
- Conductive ink manufacturers establishing batch quality controls and specification sheets.
- Printed electronics OEMs and designers validating conductive layers used in flexible circuits, RFID antennas, conductive traces, sensors, touch panels and transparent conductive coatings.
- Independent test laboratories and QC teams performing standardized resistivity, optical and rheological testing.
- Procurement, certification and compliance professionals requiring consistent test methods for material acceptance and comparative evaluation.
Using this standard helps ensure repeatable measurement practices, clearer material specifications and better interoperability between suppliers and device manufacturers in the printed electronics ecosystem.
Related Standards
Keywords: IEC 62899-202:2016, printed electronics, conductive ink, conductive layer, four-point probe, volume resistivity, surface resistivity, rheology, surface tension, material characterisation.
