TyroMotion GmbH (AT)

Printing Equipment for Printed Electronics

First was the significant investment from the materials community but now the equipment supply sector for printed electronics and allied topics has turned its attention to addressing the manufacturing need within printed electronics. Around 100 players are now involved in the equipment and consumable supply for printed electronics, growing rapidly. This article explores some of the trends and key players. Despite the intense focus on inkjet printing and high volume flexo and gravure printing, these printing types are mainly used in R&D and pilot production rather than manufacturing commercial products. Indeed, the majority of products that use printed functional inks are printed by screen printing. Coming second is coating - slot die coating - which is used in processes such as electrophoretic film manufacture and super capacitors and batteries.

Organic thin-film transistors through room-temperature printing

A research team succeeded in establishing a process to form organic thin-film transistors, conducting the entire printing process at room temperature under ambient atmospheric conditions.

TOSA buses power up for less

In Geneva, ABB Sécheron and its partners have just concluded a successful pilot operation of their electric bus system TOSA.

Organic solar cells reach manufacturing milestone

Scientists in Denmark have devised a rapid, scalable and industrially viable way to manufacture large sheets of flexible organic tandem solar cells.

Superelastic battery

Lithium ion batteries that can be stretched by 600% have been unveiled by scientists in China.

Ground breaking collaboration on graphene research

Strategic Energy Resources Limited has announced that its wholly owned subsidiary Graphitech Pty Ltd, has signed an agreement with Monash University to enable the advancement of its unique applications for the new wonder material Graphene.

Researchers develop fuel cells for increased airplane efficiency

Researchers have developed the first fuel cell that can directly convert fuels, such as jet fuel or gasoline, to electricity, providing a dramatically more energy-efficient way to create electric power for planes or cars.

ZMorph

ZMorph are one of a new breed of equipment manufacturers offering hybrid CNC machines that include 3D printing capabilities. In this case, print heads for laser engraving and cutting, paste extrusion and milling are also available.

Quantifying the Internet of Things Market

Analyst views of the Internet of Things (IoT) vary drastically depending on how one defines the topic. As a result, there is the potential for much hyping.

Charging portable electronics in ten minutes

Researchers have developed a three-dimensional, silicon-decorated, cone-shaped carbon-nanotube cluster architecture for lithium ion battery anodes that could enable charging of portable electronics in 10 minutes, instead of hours.

Move over silicon, there's a new circuit in town

This hybrid could take the place of silicon as the traditional transistor material used in electronic chips, since carbon nanotubes are more transparent, flexible, and can be processed at a lower cost.

New optical element sorts sunlight for solar cell efficiency

Electrical engineers have designed a thin layer made of a transparent plastic or glass that sorts and concentrates sunlight to boost the overall efficiency of solar cells by up to 50 percent.

European TWIN project gets the go-ahead

The Dutch agency responsible for projects subsidised under the Leonardo da Vinci programme has definitely approved the Twowheel Innovation Network (TWIN) project.

Batteries bolstered with nanotubes

Researchers are turning to extremely tiny tubes and rods to boost power and durability in lithium-ion batteries, the energy sources for cell phones, laptops, and electric vehicles. If successful, the batteries will last longer and perform better, leading to a cost advantage for electric vehicles.

Canatu

Founded in 2004, Canatu is a spin-off from the Helsinki University of Technology (now Aalto University). The synthesis process was developed by University of Helsinki, but the IP went entirely to the spin-off. Canatu won the silver award at SID 2014 in San Diego. It is claimed that its touch layers have near zero reflectance, reducing power consumption therefore extending battery lifetime by as much as 20%, while also improving contrast by 40%. Canatu has recently also focused on bringing touch sensitivity to 3D-shaped surfaces.

Nanotechnology in water purification

Several nanotechnology enabled water purification concepts, at least at an early stage, have already led to treatment technologies that exceed state-of-the-art performance and also enable new functionalities such as increased permeability, photocatalytic reactivity, and enhanced antibacterial properties.

Record-breaking solar cell points the way to cheaper power

Panasonic reveals a design that surpasses a 20-year-old mark for solar cell efficiency.

Glass-like diffusion barrier for flexible CIGS solar cells

Researchers have developed a barrier layer for flexible CIGS solar cells which separates the metal substrate from the absorber layer and so increases the efficiency of the metal-based flexible thin-film solar cells.

Fuel cell powered buses delivered

The unveiling and delivery of two new fuel cell buses, each powered by a Ballard FCvelocity®-HD6 fuel cell module.

Tesla's Model S arrives in the UK

Tesla's CEO Elon Musk delivered five new cars to customers in London, UK on Saturday at an event to welcome the arrival of right hand drive Model S in the UK. The occasion marks the beginning of a planned rapid expansion in the country in the coming two years.