Exclusive article from the latest issue of +Plastic Electronics: to read in full click here
The growing use of touchscreens has generated intense development of new technologies. Due to concerns about the supply of indium and the brittleness of indium tin oxide (ITO layers), developers have been honing a range of alternatives for years. Despite claims of flaws, and efforts to create better-performing and cheaper alternatives, ITO has remained dominant.
PEDOT: PSS, a polymer touchscreen material, is being developed by the likes of Heraeus and Agfa in Europe. German firm Heraeus Precious Metals believes its PEDOT: PSS solution, Clevios, is ready to enter commercial products in the near future.
Polymers
Heraeus is working in partnership with companies further up the supply chain on products that can impact on the touchscreen markets.
Kodak, a long-time customer for Heraeus Clevios, is now working on technology that could replace ITO layers in various displays.
Although the company originally used PEDOT for motion picture film, it had also been investigating opportunities in displays, partly in cooperation with its OLED business. The company sold the amassed intellectual property from its OLED division to LG in 2009, but it is still working on conductive films as an alternative to ITO.
The touchscreen market will continue to be dominated by ITO, and the share open to next-generation transparent conductive oxides (TCOs) will be contested by technologies that can match, or exceed, the expectations created by ITO.
ITO alternatives may also increase to meet demand in new applications like organic photovoltaics, or other printed, flexible devices. It is here that the potential for low-cost, printed and flexible conductive layers will become more apparent.
This article appears in full in Volume 4, issue 2 of +Plastic Electronics magazine.
To read this article, along with more high-value, exclusive content, subscribe to +Plastic Electronics magazine.
Documents and links
-
Subscribe to +Plastic Electronics magazine
Subscribe to +Plastic Electronics magazine, published six times a year, for just £100/€110/$160. Find out more here
External Link
-
Latest issue
What's in the latest issue of +Plastic Electroncs? Click here to find out
External Link
-
About +Plastic Electronics magazine
Your source of the latest news on the business and market strategies for organic and printable electronics, is available for just £95 for a complete volume
External Link