Sabic, alongside Cima NanoTech, a Singapore and US-based company, have announced the joint development of a transparent conductive polycarbonate film for the smart materials sector. The firms claim that the film is a first for the industry, and “has the potential to revolutionise the materials used in consumer electronics, household goods, automotive, architecture and healthcare.”
Ernesto Occhiello, SABIC Executive Vice President, Technology and Innovation, said that the new material could enable faster response touch screens for consumer electronics, transparent “no-line” anti-fogging capabilities for automotive windows, better EMI shielding effectiveness for electronics, and transparent WiFi/Bluetooth antennas for mobile devices like smartphones, tablets, laptops and all-in-one computers.
Sabic engaged in a joint collaboration with Cima NanoTech in the latter half of 2013 to develop the new material, which will be available for customer trials later this year.
“Transparent conductive polycarbonate is a breakthrough material that customers in consumer electronics and other important industries have been seeking,” said Matt Gray, Director of Marketing, Consumer Electronics for Sabic’s Innovative Plastics business. “Our work with Cima NanoTech is strategically aligned with our commitment to continuous innovation in areas of importance to our customers,” he added.
The collaboration, leveraging both Cima NanoTech’s proprietary Sante nanoparticle technology and Sabic’s Lexan polycarbonate film, has resulted in the development of a new series of transparent conductive materials that are said to be lightweight with excellent transparency, outstanding conductivity and high flexibility.
“We are very pleased to be working with Sabic to bring the key advantages of Sante nanoparticle technology forward into a number of diverse consumer and industrial markets,” said Jon Brodd, Chief Executive Officer, Cima NanoTech. Sante technology, a patented self-assembling nanoparticle technology platform, provides high transparency with ultra-low electrical resistance, which the group claims is ten times better than the incumbent indium tin oxide (ITO).
“In addition to its ability to meet optical grade specifications for display and touch applications, Sante nanoparticle technology is also more cost effective as coating is performed via a wet coating, roll-to-roll process versus sheet-to-sheet,” Brodd said. The conductive Sante network is also mechanically robust, thus allowing it to withstand flexing, stretching, torsion and tension for flexible applications. The substrate can also be thermoformed into various curved and 3D form factors.