Nanomaterials have already found application in the smart phone market in battery components and waterproof coatings, as companies seek to gain a competitive edge with dynamic new features incorporating nanotech.
Nanotech in smartphones applications
Applications of nanomaterials in the smartphone market include anti-scratch and waterproof coatings, transparent electrodes for touch screens and conductive films for liquid crystal displays (LCDs). The market for nanocoatings will grow across all sectors over the next 5-10 years, and especially in the consumer electronics market, which is estimated to reach estimated US $1,210 billion globally by 2017. Carbon nanotubes (CNT) conductive inks and single layer graphene films are being developed for transparent conductive film for ITO replacement and for new markets in flexible electronics. Hydrophobic and oleophobic repellency treatments are already integrated across a range of smart phones .
Waterproof and antimicrobial coatings
OEM and consumer applied coatings have been developed for cell phones, PDA, iPod, iPhone, laptops, and touch screens. Permanent waterproof and easy-clean nanoscale coating can be applied by the OEM on both glass and plastic screens. In addition, a temporary coating can be applied by the consumer using a felt-tip applicator. Aculon (www.aculon.com) has developed this technology. Materials used in these coatings include nanosilver. Agion (www.agion-tech.com) develops anti-microbial solutions based on silver. Agion’s anti-microbial technology has been incorporated into products including cell phones, shoes, keyboards, pens, water filters, air conditioning and heating units, medical catheters, ice machines, and faucet handles.
Moisture destroys 82 million phones annually in the United States alone. Liquipel (www.liquipel.com), along with P2i and HzO, has developed super- hydrophobic nanocoatings for waterproofing consumer electronic equipment. The coating has been incorporated into Samsung’s Galaxy smart phones. Liquipel’s patented and patent-pending process creates a liquid-repellent coating that is 1,000-times thinner than a human hair but will last the life of the device. It not only exceeds cell-phone manufacturers’ requirements but actually creates a new category for water-safe electronics.
HzO (www.hzoinside.com) produces WaterBlock nanocoatings for electronic circuitry and components to protect electronic devices and assemblies from moisture damage. WaterBlock is a super-hydrophobic nanocoating. The technology has been applied to a line of back-lit magnetic compasses by NavELite, and the TAG Heuer RACER Sub-Nano–a limited edition, Android-based smartphone.
P2i (www.p2i.com) was established in 2004 to commercialize super liquid-repellent treatments developed by the Defense Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl). They originally market an ion-mask™ treatment for footwear and textile products before expanding in to splash-proof liquid repellent nanocoatings that have been applied to Motorola and TCL Communication smart phones and tablets. They are a leading materials provider in this growing market. The company has recently added an additional technology to it’s product offering, Dunkable™, a hydrophobic coating for cellphones.
Displays
Transparent conductive films (TCFs) are used in a wide range of products, including liquid-crystal displays (LCDs), e-Readers, organic light-emitting diode (OLED) and quantum dot light-emitting diode (QDLED) displays and lighting, touch sensors, photovoltaic modules, and architectural windows. Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) dominates the market. Other materials used include silver grids or silver nanowires; conductive polymers, such as polythiophenes, including poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT); carbon nanotubes (CNTs), especially single- and few-walled CNTs; and graphene. ITO is unsuitable for electronics applications requiring printability, flexibility, or stretchability and therefore nanomaterials, especially graphene could open up whole new markets for consumer electronics. As well as enabling novel approaches to display designs, nanomaterials are also incorporated into display components, such as transparent electrodes, thin film transistors and coatings, sensors, transparent conductors, and infrared and visible photodetectors.
Displays incorporating nanomaterials, especially CNTs and graphene, are beginning to appear as prototypes and will hit the market in the next 18 months. Multinational companies Toshiba, Motorola, Hitachi and Samsung are all developing nanomaterial-based display technologies. Unidym and Samsung demonstrated in 2008 a carbon nanotube (CNT)-based active matrix electrophoretic display (EPD) epaper, in which the transparent electrode is a CNT thin film. CNT-based transparent electrodes have been put forward as a candidate to replace indium tin oxide (ITO) currently used in touchscreens and LCD displays. Taiwan company XinNano Materials is applying CNT ink to substrates to produce transparent conducting film and anti-static coatings used for touch panels and flexible displays. CNTs are expected to be applied in the next few years in e-Readers, electrochromic windows, low-end resistive touch sensors, and stretchable touch sensors.
Graphene is the most promising candidate for next generation flexible electronics and is overtaking CNTs as the most viable candidate in this sector. Graphene is being used in transparent conductive coatings for touch screens and displays, and in 2010 Samsung followed up its nanotube flexible display prototype with one incorporating graphene. The company is conducting ongoing research collaboration with graphene pioneers at the University of Manchester and Sungkyunkwan University to develop enhanced display technologies and full product integration is expected in the next year. Graphene inks lose little conductivity when folded so are an ideal candidate for flexible displays. Most conductive inks on the market are made from expensive silver particles. They also have to be heat-treated after they’re applied, which means they can’t be printed on polymers and other heat-sensitive materials. Graphene ink requires no heat treatment and is more conductive than other carbon-based alternatives to silver inks. BASF is developing graphene inks for electronics applications along with Vorbeck Materials (http://vorbeck.com).
Nanosys (www.nanosysinc.com) is producing high efficiency quantum dot phosphors find application in LED displays, providing a high quality, tri-color white light from a standard blue LED light source. Nanosys collaborates with industry to develop QD products for computing, optoelectronics, communications, renewable energy, defense and the life sciences. 3M is collaborating with Nanosys, Inc., to produce the QDEF solution specifically to deliver more colour, and to make devices such as smart phones, tablets and televisions, lighter, brighter and more energy efficient.
Cambrios Technologies Corp’s (www.cambrios.com) proprietary nanostructured materials can be deposited using existing production equipment to achieve enhanced performance of display devices and components at lower manufacturing cost. The company’s first product is ClearOhm™ coating material that produces a transparent, conductive film by wet processing. ClearOhm™ films have improved properties by comparison to currently used materials such as indium tin oxide and other transparent conductive oxides. Applications of ClearOhm™ coating material include transparent electrodes for touch screens, liquid crystal displays, e-paper, OLED devices, and thin film photovoltaics.
Invisicon® from Eikos, Inc. (www.eikos.com) is a transparent conductive coating technology for application in displays, photovoltaic cells, lighting, energy storage, and flexible electronics. Invisicon® is suitable as a replacement for ITO (indium tin oxide) and conducting polymers and exhibits characteristics such as durability, index matching, and anti-reflective properties.
Batteries
Batteries are one of the limiting factors in current mobile electronic devices. Graphene is a leading candidate for developing ultra-thin flexible batteries. It has a good electrical conductivity and high surface area. Electrical conductivity is caused by its unique electronic properties, which include massless Dirac fermion, ambipolar electric field effect and extremely high carrier mobility. Applications are predicted to be onstream by 2013 in grid energy storage and electric vehicles.
Companies developing nanomaterial based battery products include GE, Panasonic Sanyo, Matsushita Industrial Co., Ltd., NEC, Toshiba, LG Chem, Samsung and Sony for application in cell phones and electronic devices. Innovative product developers and materials producers include A123 Systems, mPhase Technologies and Altair Nanotechnologies. Cabot Corp. (www.cabotcorp.com) launched in 2013 LITXTM G700, a graphene-based additive for high energy density lithium- ion battery applications. The LITX G700 conductive additive is a graphene-based additive designed for use in electric vehicle and high-end consumer electronics in which better driving range and longer run times are critical performance features. In June 2013, Haydale (www.haydale.com) that with its development partner, Gwent Electronic Materials (“GEM”), it has developed graphene based inks for application in flexible electronics.
