Advanced Materials

6G Communications needs graphene. 6G will initially launch at a few hundred GHz where several diode and transistor technologies are available in the laboratory, but things get tough when 6G operates at around 1THz to get the ultimate response time, data capacity and transfer and other promised advances.

Conductive inks are a long-established technology, however, technology rarely stands still, and there is extensive innovation within the conductive ink space. Particle-free inks are an especially promising example with multiple advantages and applications.

Textile Testing & Innovation have developed phase change materials for various applications. The interview focussed on automotive applications and options for electric vehicles.

The smart surfaces essential to 6G communications will be over $7 billion in 2034 - find out more in the upcoming webinar Thursday 1 April 2021.

This shows strong patenting of terahertz advances with Japan, China and US in the lead and many companies involved.

This shows strong patenting of terahertz advances with Japan, China and US in the lead and many companies involved.

Dr James Edmondson interviewed ADA Technologies. ADA develop advanced materials for aerospace and defence applications. The interview focussed on ADA's products for thermal interface and thermal insulation materials.

Kemtron is a UK based provider of EMI/RFI shielding and environmental protection solutions. Thomas Lynch, a Technology Analyst at IDTechEx, spoke with David Wall, the chairman and founder, about their work with electrically conductive adhesives.

DZP Technologies is a developer and provider of solutions for emerging technologies, such as printed and wearable electronics. Thomas Lynch, a Technology Analyst at IDTechEx, spoke to Dr Zlatka Stoeva, the managing director, about their work with electrically conductive adhesives.

Dr James Edmondson interviewed HyMet to discuss their novel thermal interface material with high anisotropy and deformation.

Thermal management is one of the most important topics in a wide range of applications; from electric vehicle battery packs through to consumer electronics, there is a pressing need to dissipate heat efficiently. Thermal interface materials (TIM) come in numerous types and play a crucial role in the thermal transfer from a heat source. This article looks at what the major innovations are for these materials and why those developments are significant.

Conductive inks are a long-established technology, with silver flake-based inks used extensively in multiple industries including solar panels and glucose test strips.

AlmaScience (ALMA) is a Portuguese applied research organization focused on adding electronic functionality to paper and other natural/sustainable materials. It aims to bridge the gap between academia and industry through partnerships and contract research projects.

Without electronics and photonics, there would be no computers, smartphones, sensors, or information and communication technologies. In the coming years, the new field of phononics may further expand these options. That field is concerned with understanding and controlling lattice vibrations (phonons) in solids. In order to realize phononic devices, however, lattice vibrations have to be controlled as precisely as commonly realized in the case of electrons or photons.

Carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) technologies are likely to play a key role in the fight against climate change, with the UN estimating that CCUS could mitigate between 1.5 and 6.3 gigatonnes of CO2 equivalents per year by 2050. The world has already taken its steps along this pathway, however, for CCUS to have a meaningful impact on emissions in a timely manner, it will need to scale up hundreds of times compared with today's levels.

On 24-25th of February 2021 IDTechEx attended the Innovations in Large Area Electronics (InnoLAE) conference. Conference attendees were a mix of primarily early-stage companies and academics. This premium article divides a selection of the most interesting and/or commercially relevant talks into 4 sections

Dexerials is a Japanese manufacturer of functional materials, for use in electronic devices. Its main product is its anisotropic conductive film (ACF), for use in displays. Thomas Lynch, Technology Analyst at IDTechEx, spoke to Tatsuo Nagamatsu and Koichi Hirose, about their work with ACFs.

X-ray scans revolutionised medical treatments by allowing us to see inside humans without surgery. Similarly, terahertz spectroscopy penetrates graphene films allowing scientists to make detailed maps of their electrical quality, without damaging or contaminating the material.

Unmanned Underwater Vehicles UUV are also known as Autonomous Underwater vehicles AUV. They are unmanned electric craft that carry out a host of tasks from inspecting oil rigs and whale populations to sea floor prospecting for minerals.

The aerogel market is forecast to exceed $700m within the next decade. This may appear modest for a unique material family that has been known for nearly a century, but after long periods of stagnation and several market failings this would represent a significant growth from the market status in 2020. This article will look at what will be driving this growth.