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Advance Nanotech develops printable polymer material
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Spencer Chin
EE Times
(06/12/2006 3:29 PM EDT)
MANHASSET, N.Y. — Technology commercialization company Advance Nanotech Inc. has developed composites comprising organic polymers and nanostructured materials that provide "printable" semiconductors for low-cost inkjet print manufacturing.
Advance Nanotech, in collaboration with the Center for Advanced Photonics and Electronics (CAPE) at the University of Cambridge, U.K., expects the development to makes possible low-cost printing of a number of electronic and optoelectronic components, ranging from RFID tags to OLEDs and displays as well as various semiconductors.
Advanced Nanotech and Center for Advanced Photonics scientists report that a year of intensive R&D efforts has enabled them to optimize the chemical treatment of nanostructured materials and effectively disperse them in a range of polymers. Selected nanomaterials have been successfully incorporated in organic polymers, thus turning insulating materials into composites that show promising transistor characteristics, scientists noted.
"A one nanometer gap between the molecules of an organic polymer is sufficient to prevent effective change transport," said Dr. Paul Beecher, a CAPE scientist on the project. "Our technology explores an alternative approach to overcoming the poor electrical properties of most organic semiconductors by exploiting the enhanced conductivity brought about by selected nanometerials."
According to the scientists, the composites have also proven quite stable, with no tendency to quickly form aggregates in solution, therefore making them suited for inkjet print manufacturing.
"We're very optimistic about the demand for printed electronics. IDTechEx estimates that printed electronics will grow to $30 billion in 2015 and reach $250 billion by 2025," said Peter Gammel, chief technology officer at Advance Nanotech, in a statement. "We will be able to incorporate intelligent circuits into a variety of objects, from clothing to packaging."
Advance Nanotech and the Center for Advanced Photonics and Electronics are just two of a number of groups doing research on organic semiconductors.
Germany-based Nanoident Technologies AG is banking on polymer electronics to make photosensors and other electronics. The company expects to develop organic sensors that can be printed on flexible substrates like printing ink.
Also, Cambridge Display Technology has been refining roll printing processes for its light-emitting polymer (PLED) technology to develop polymer OLED displays.
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