Research Articles

Thursday 21 March 2024 - Materials Informatics: The Data Revolution and AI Boom come to Materials R&D - The latest commercial developments in the field, including the impact of new industry interest in the age of AI; Assessment of the different strategic approaches being adopted; The key technology pillars required for a MI approach; Industry pain points; Application case studies

The battle to secure communications is intensifying. Over the last twenty years hacking has grown into a lucrative enterprise. This global challenge is anticipated to worsen as the volume and value of data transmitted rises. The impact on society could be catastrophic, with the average cost of a data-breach already surpassing millions of dollars.

The production of green hydrogen continues to be the focus of many governmental and corporate decarbonization strategies. The electrolyzer is a key technology that enables green hydrogen production by splitting water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen using renewable electricity. Many focus on the need for large-scale green hydrogen plants as well as electrolyzer manufacturing facilities.

Millimeter-wave (mmWave), previously confined to military, satellite, and automotive radar applications, has now entered the mobile communications frequency spectrum, offering high data throughput of up to 20 Gbps with an ultralow latency of just 1 ms.

Global efforts to decarbonize medium- and heavy-duty (MHD) freight vehicles are crucial for reducing transportation-related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. These vehicles, pivotal to economies worldwide, emit significant GHGs and criteria pollutants, often impacting vulnerable communities.

Advanced semiconductor packaging technologies like 2.5D and 3D hybrid bonding, along with emerging solutions like silicon photonics, are critical in optimizing system performance and fostering the next wave of AI and HPC chip innovation.

With the shift towards electric vehicles, end-users are becoming less concerned about traditional differentiators like engine horsepower and are placing greater emphasis on smart interior functions. This trend is compelling automotive OEMs to invest more efforts in enhancing interior features, thereby adding greater value to their products and distinguishing them from other vehicles.

In a world with a growing population and a rapidly expanding construction sector to match, how do we prevent building homes from damaging our climate? Concrete is the second most consumed material on Earth, but its key ingredient, cement, is responsible for 7% of global anthropogenic CO2 emissions. The answer could come from thin air - CO2-derived building materials.

Electric vehicle (EV) fire safety continues to be a critical topic. Data continues to support the fact that EVs are less likely to catch fire than internal combustion engine vehicles. However, as a new technology, EVs get more press, and besides, even a very low occurrence rate still poses significant risks to vehicle occupants and surroundings.

Thursday 22 February 2024 - Discuss the key components of a PEM fuel cell, including their purpose, form factor, and possible material choices; Highlight innovations in alternative materials and manufacturing processes with respect to the incumbents and the impact of proposed regulations; Outline key technology trends for materials, including the driving forces behind these trends; Overview of the PEM fuel cell market within the context of the broader fuel cell electric vehicle market

Electromagnetic interference shielding is becoming more adapted to the meet demands of growing communications technology. Personal devices are everywhere. As they get thinner, the components in each device are getting closer together, and EMI shielding is becoming well-known as the mastermind.

Thursday 29 February 2024 - An overview of the need for fire protection materials; Thermal management strategies and cell-to-pack battery structure; Options and examples for fire protection materials in OEMs; The impact of sodium-ion and solid state batteries on EV safety and material needs; Fire protection material benchmarking; Market share predictions

IDTechEx's new report, "Future Automotive Technologies 2024-2034: Applications, Megatrends, Forecasts", highlights the biggest changes coming to cars over the next ten years. Electrification will change what powers cars, and automation will change how they are driven, but one of the biggest opportunities is connectivity and software definition, which will change how cars are monetized.

Handbags made of mushroom leather and biodegradable foodware are two examples of how white biotechnology can produce functional products that look good. With the right input feedstock, such as biomass or gases, and the right fermentation processes, the outputs of white biotechnology processes can be utilized in textiles, chemicals, and fuels.

With the growing hydrogen economy, proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells are the subject of ongoing innovation, especially in terms of materials development. Dominant incumbent materials are seen for certain components, but alternative competitive options are emerging, and the technology landscape is beginning to shift.

IDTechEx have released a brand new episode of the 'Tomorrow's Tech by IDTechEx' podcast, 'AR and VR Headsets - Time for an Extended Reality Check?'. Host Dr Tess Skyrme and industry expert Sam Dale will be discussing the up-and-coming trends in the AR/VR landscape.

Apple's Vision Pro has recently grabbed all the headlines in the spatial computing world, following years of hype and rumors of Apple bringing a headset to market. The Vision Pro is thought to be merely the opening salvo of the tech giant's strategy, with see-through augmented reality (AR) devices expected to be the endgame.

Thursday 15 February 2024 - The Upwards Trajectory of Low-Loss Materials for Future Telecommunications - Identify key factors in 5G deployment affecting demand for low-loss materials; Consider important types of low-loss materials for 5G; Explore trends influencing the development of low-loss materials for 6G; Present IDTechEx's market outlook for the industry

Many people were surprised when HiNa revealed their lineup of sodium-ion battery cells, as well as a prototype of an electric car, in February 2023. But it had been a long time coming. The low-cost Sehol E10X microcar uses a 25 kWh battery pack made from cylindrical sodium-ion cells from HiNa.

The sales of hydrogen fuel cell cars have largely stalled from 2021 onwards, but does this mean there is no market for fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) in the future, and what is required to make them a success?

People and penguins can all benefit from the use of hydrogen in pursuing cleaner energy sources, and hydrogen is one of the main tools for decarbonizing industries. With new hydrogen infrastructure, existing aspects of living, like driving and heating, can be improved by switching harmful gases for cleaner and more efficient choices.

Ten years ago, the 3D printing landscape was in the midst of its first big boom. With the 2009 expiration of a key Stratasys patent that covered thermoplastic filament extrusion technology, desktop filament printers were taking off, buoyed by new disrupters like Makerbot.

Wednesday 14 February 2024 - Quantum Communication Technology: How Can Physics Protect Our Data Security? What is quantum communication technology and what is the state of the industry? What are the competing quantum random number generator technologies, how do they work and what are the opportunities and challenges? What is quantum key distribution, and how is it being used in quantum networks? How will the quantum communication market evolve both short, medium, and long term - and when are the key inflection points for commercial value creation?

Healthcare systems around the world are being put under increasing strain every year. Key challenges they face include overburdened medical staff and a steady rise in patients with chronic health conditions that require high levels of care.

Smart devices, autonomous driving, remote patient monitoring - countless new applications are being unlocked by advancements in telecommunication technology, specifically the transition to 5G. 5G telecommunications introduces two new frequency bands: sub-6 GHz (3.5 - 7 GHz) and mmWave (24 - 71 GHz).

The electrification of boats and ships has the potential to reshape communities around busy ports. Hybrid and electric ships have the potential to drastically improve air quality and reduce noise pollution while offering other key benefits to cities. Ships now have the potential to become a welcomed part of communities and a friend to the environment.

As the volume of variable renewable energy (VRE) sources penetrating electricity grids increases globally, so does the need to manage the increasing uncertainty and variability in electricity supply.