Sabic Polycarbonate film breakthrough enables new touchscreen applications

Saudi Arabia-headquartered chemicals firm Sabic has announced a breakthrough in the creation of polycarbonate conductive films, in its partnership with Cima NanoTech.

The polycarbonate film will be available for customer trials later this year.

Functionalised films
The breakthrough involves functionalising the polycarbonate without adding filler to the film itself, which can affect its mechanical properties. Cima NanoTech's nanoparticle solution, called Sante, is instead wet coated or transferred to Sabic's Lexan film.

The announcement is significant not only for the potential to enable applications of polycarbonate film, but also the role Sabic can play in bringing the transparent conductor to market, based on its global distribution channels and existing partnerships with various consumer electronics manufacturers.

ITO replacement
The announcement is also the latest in a series of progressive steps for developers of transparent conductors, looking to take market share from indium tin oxide (ITO) based on cost, flexibility and performance.

By Dan Rogers, follow Dan on Google+

Sabic Polycarbonate film breakthrough enables new touchscreen applications

Subscribe today for full access to exclusive Tire Hub content.