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Conductive lithographic films (CLF) are an emerging fabrication process for electronic interconnect and a range of passive component structures. This paper reviews the manufacture, properties and applications of CLF conductors, and discusses other lithographically deposited electronic materials including resistive, dielectric and ferrite films. Recent developments in CLF technology, including multilayer structures and concurrent printing of interconnect with printed passive components, are presented.

This paper concerns a novel process for forming additive copper interconnect on flexible substrates via printing and plating processes. Building on the established conductive lithographic film and CLF plating seeding technologies, the described process enables low‐cost substitutes for existing flexible electronic wiring boards to be manufactured without precious metals.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate different 3D structures for humidity sensing that will enable the fabrication of complex geometries with high moisture sensitivity.

Humidity sensors based on alumina ceramics were fabricated using direct ink write (DIW) technique. Different engineered surface area, polymer binder ratio and post-processing treatment were considered to increase moisture sensitivity.

It was found that the binder ratio plays an important role in controlling the rheology of the paste during printing and determining the pore size after post-processing treatment. The sensibility of the fabricated humidity sensor was investigated by measuring its capacitance response toward relative humidity (RH) varying from 40% to 90% RH at 25°C. It is shown that using 3D lattice design, printed alumina humidity sensor could improve sensitivity up to 31.6 pF/RH%, over an order of magnitude higher than solid alumina.

Most of the alumina humidity sensors available are films in nature because of manufacturing difficulties, which limited its potential of higher sensitivity, and thus broader applications. In this paper, a novel 3D alumina humidity sensor was fabricated using DIW 3D printing technology.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the possibility of integrating inkjet printed circuitry with fused deposition modeling (FDM) structures to produce embedded electronics and smart structures. Several of the challenges of combining these technologies are identified, and potential solutions are developed.

An experimental approach is taken to investigate some of the relevant physical processes for integrating FDM and inkjet deposition, including the printing, drying and sintering processes. Experimental data are collected to assist understanding of the problems, and engineering solutions are proposed and implemented based on the gained understanding of the problems.

Three challenges have been identified, including the discontinuity of the printed lines resulting from the irregular surface of the FDM substrate, the non-conductivity of the printed lines due to the particle segregation during the droplet drying process and the slow drying process caused by the “skinning effect”. Two engineering solutions are developed for the discontinuity problem. The non-conductivity issue and the slow drying process are attributed to the motion of the nanoparticles caused by the evaporation flow. The thermally activated drying process for the Cabot ink suggests that the proposed solution is effective. Timescale analysis and experimental data show that the printing conditions do not have a clear influence on the conductivity of the printed lines, and drying and sintering processes are more important.

No quantitative model has yet been developed for simulating the printing, drying and sintering processes associated with inkjet printing on FDM substrates. Quantitative models can be extremely valuable for improvement in understanding the problems, optimizing the proposed solutions and coming up with better solutions.

The research findings in this work have great implications in implementing a hybrid FDM-inkjet deposition machine for fabricating embedded electronics and smart structures. All the proposed engineering solutions for the identified problems can be potentially integrated into one machine.

The success of the integration of the FDM and inkjet deposition process will enable the design of compact electro-mechanical structures to replace the large heavy electro-mechanical systems.

This work represents one of the first attempts for integrating inkjet deposition of silver nanoparticle inks with the FDM process for making compact electro-mechanical structures. Three critical challenges are identified, and corresponding engineering solutions are proposed and implemented based on analysis of the relevant physical processes, including the printing, drying and sintering processes, which has laid the foundation for integrating the FDM and inkjet deposition processes.

The resistivity of cured conductive ink films are dependent on a wide range of process parameters. An early indication of the resistivity that is likely to result following curing can enable these parameters to be optimised and, therefore, improve product quality. This paper aims to report on the use of alternating current (AC) impedance measurement techniques on curing printed ink films as a means of assessing the resistivity likely to be attained following the curing process.

Impedance measurements (100 Hz-10 MHz) were performed on curing conductive carbon ink films printed on polyethylene terephthalate substrates during convective heat curing. A jig was designed to incorporate the test structure in an convection oven such that the effect of cure on the structure impedance could be investigated.

The initial impedance was found to decrease with an increase in the measurement frequency. As the ink films were cured, the impedance magnitude across the 100 Hz-10 MHz range converged with the direct current (DC) resistance value. For a given ink, the ratio of initial AC impedance at 10 MHz to final cured resistance was found to be consistent, thus giving a method where final conductivity can be estimated before cure.

Data from printed ink resistance measurements are required to ensure the optimal conductivity of printed devices. However, after the printed structures are fabricated and cured, it is too late to optimise process parameters, leading to significant wastage. AC impedance measurement can give an indication of the final cured resistivity whilst the structure is freshly printed and still in its curing phase, enabling the printing process parameters to be adjusted to improve the resistivity of subsequently printed devices. Measuring AC impedance of printed ink structures in a production environment can, therefore, improve output.

Virtual influencers are a growing trend in digital marketing strategies. This paper aims to compare the impact of virtual and human influencers on Gen Z consumer outcomes (Source Trust, Intention to Follow, Word-of-Mouth and Brand Attachment).

The authors surveyed young consumers (N = 317) in Europe and the CIS. The data are analyzed through Welch’s t-test and partial least squares structural equation modeling.

This study demonstrates that for Gen Z, human influencers are still a more effective marketing tool than virtual influencers. The latter arouse greater social-psychological distance that significantly affects consumer outcomes. Consumers with a higher need-for-uniqueness and novelty seeking have a lower social-psychological distance from virtual influencers.

This study offers valuable insights for practitioners in terms of influencer marketing decisions in the digital environment with respect to one of the most solvent target groups – Gen Z.

This research contributes to the empirical investigation of the impact of virtual influencers on the behavioral outcomes of Gen Z by including Novelty Seeking and Brand Attachment in the analysis. The research sample includes CIS and European consumers, which allows for a more comprehensive investigation.

With the increasingly cultural and linguistic diversity in education, teaching multicultural education for pre-service teachers becomes an important part of teacher education. In this collaborative self-study study, we examine how we construct our identities and how social interactions of multicultural education classrooms shape our identities. Our study draws on Lave and Wenger’s (1991) “identity as learners” concept, Akkerman and Bakker’s (2011) “boundary crossing learning” theory, Harré & Lagenhove’s (1999) positioning theory, and positionality concept. We found three themes that describe our identities and they reflect our embodiment of our positionality, our positions, our challenge confrontation, and our teaching improvement. We argue for the need of tracing the professional trajectories of multicultural education novice teacher educators and the important roles that our positionality plays in our identity formation. Our study has implications for professional support for multicultural education novice teacher educators and offers suggestions for further self-study research about multicultural education novice teacher educator identity formation.

WE open our new volume in circumstances of hope. The recent developments of the war give real encouragement to the expectation that a few more months of endurance may see if not the end of war, at least its prospect. For many work has been pursued recently in circumstances of difficulty and, occasionally, of danger, but we do not know of any library which has closed for any length of time because of enemy action. Those in the South of England have had anxious hours; for a few days book issues went down, and thus the experiences of the autumn of 1940 were repeated. Such fluctuations are not likely to be permanent or even long‐lasting. For librarians, as for all our people, there is now evidence that before the volume we begin today is complete, we may be able to give undivided attention to libraries.

This paper aims to provide empirical evidence on adopting artificial intelligence (AI), including generative AI, in knowledge management (KM) processes and its impact on organisational decision-making. Specifically, the study addresses three key research questions: RQ1: How is (generative) AI adopted within KM processes in organisations? RQ2: What factors influence the adoption of AI in these processes, either facilitating or inhibiting it? RQ3: How does AI adoption in KM processes affect organisational decision-making?

An explorative investigation has been conducted through semi-structured interviews with KM and AI experts from a worldwide sample of 52 mostly private, large and for-profit organisations. Interviews have been analysed through a mixed thematic analysis.

The study provides an original framework in which the three investigated concepts are interconnected according to a dual relationship: linear and retroactive and 20 factors affecting AI adoption within KM processes.

The provided model guides managers in improving their organisational decision-making through AI adoption in KM processes. Moreover, according to the rational decision-making model, the authors propose a six-step systematic procedure for managers.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study that simultaneously addresses AI, KM and decision-making and provides an integrated framework showing the relationships between them, allowing organisations to better and practically understand how to ameliorate their decision-making through AI adoption in KM processes.