[nanoPost] Nanoparticle conductive inks and transparent conductive coatings

Company USA

Nanoparticle conductive inks and transparent conductive coatings for flat panel displays, solar cells, and other printed electronics applications.  These materials can enable increased performance in concert with faster, cleaner, and cheaper manufacturing processes - thus allowing next generation technology to be used today and creating a cleaner, safer world for tomorrow.

The company's  materials are based upon a proprietary solid phase manufacturing process that creates nanometals and nanometal alloys. This advanced manufacturing process produces materials with attributes well-suited for electronics manufacturing: 

- Small particle size (D100 < 80 nm)

- Narrow size distribution

- Crystalline structure

- Various metal and metal alloy capabilities

The company focuses on those metals and metal alloys that are the most valuable to electronics applications. The company currently produces nanometallic silver and silver/copper alloys and can also produce a variety of other materials, including platinum and palladium.

To be used in most printed electronics applications, nanomaterials must be dispersed in a matrix. This dispersion is as important as the nanomaterials themselves because it affects conductivity, adhesion of the circuit to substrate, and other important properties of the final electronic component. The company's formulations complement the nanomaterials to deliver important attributes including:

- Ability to disperse in a wide range of solvent systems, including those commonly used in the graphics printing and electronics industries and are compatible with a wide variety of substrates commonly used (plastics, paper, glass, ...)

- Organic coatings that maximize dispersion while minimizing effects on performance

- Increased stability

- High metal loading (<60% by weight) with low viscosities (inkjet printable)

- Additives that deliver other desired properties are used to enhance specific attributes unique to the material delivery method, whether it be inkjet printing, coating, or a variety of other different printing methods.

Application methods

The company engineers various formulations of its materials to specifically fit the deposition systems and applications of customers and partners. Interaction between the formulation and deposition system affects the performance of the final component. Specific deposition methods may be better suited for a given component.

Coating

A simple bar-coating method is used to apply the company's proprietary conductive coatings. This can be done by batch or continuous methods, making possible the manufacture of conductive films on a variety of substrates, from discrete glass pieces to roll-to-roll coating on flexible, low temperature substrates.

Inkjet Printing

Advances in nanotechnology have enabled the inkjet printing of metals. The metal particles must be small enough to pass through the inkjet nozzles without clogging them. Generally, particles must be smaller than 100 nanometers. The nanometallic particles must be dispersed in a liquid vehicle for inkjet printing.

Inkjet printing electronics offers the potential for three-dimensional printing, thinner lines, less material usage, and the customization, flexibility, and low set-up costs of digital processes.

Conventional Printing

Printing processes such as gravure, flexography, lithography, and screen printing can enable high-speed, roll-to-roll printing of electronics. In some instances with these printing processes, nanomaterials offer value through finer line resolutions and lower-temperature sintering requirements which enable low cost substrates.