With nanoparticulate functional materials and innovative printing pro-cesses,
researchers from BASF
SE, Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg) and Darmstadt Technical
University are revolutionizing printing technology. Organic electronic products
of future potential, such as photovoltaic films or bendable light-emitting diodes,
head their list of achievements. As part of the "Forum Organic Electronics"
Excellence Cluster sponsored by the German Federal Ministry of Education and
Research (BMBF), the partners in the NanoPEP project (Nano-structuring + Plastic
Electronics Precision Printing Platform) are planning to present the first printed
results within three years.
"The electronics of the future are flexible and bendable. It will soon
be possible to print low-cost and resource-conserving electronic components
with gentle methods on flexible substrates. Utilizing innovative processes and
materials on which we are currently working, we are creating a new range of
uses for printing technology in Organic Electronics. Working on the modular
principle, we can provide numerous modules for cost-efficient mass production,"
says BASF Project Leader Prof. Dr. Bernd Sachweh.
Organic Electronics is based on conductive polymers or even smaller molecules
from organic chemistry and is regarded as one of the key technologies of the
future. Its uses range from organic circuits and chips through photovoltaics
to organic light emitting diodes. One of the many applications for printed electronics
is smart labels that are equipped with sensors. These transponders, which can
be printed together with an antenna on films, can be used to measure temperature
and atmospheric humidity, an important aspect for the shipment and storage of
goods.
Although simple integrated circuits can already be printed today, the challenge
lies in producing flexible electronics. For these applications, functional materials
- conductive organic molecules - have to be printed in just nanometer-thick,
defect-free and very homogeneous layers on top of each other onto flexible plastic
or paper substrates. These requirements far exceed those of graphic printing.
"Our long-term objective is to develop printing machines for printed electronics.
We are convinced that only printing processes will enable us to meet the cost
targets and allow us to manufacture organic electronics at competitive prices
for the consumer market," says Project Leader Dr. Gerd Junghans of Heidelberger
Druckmaschinen.
One main focus of research in the Excellence Cluster is the development of
hybrid materials consisting of inorganic and organic components. BASF SE is
developing new production processes for the manufacture of nanoscale functional
materials such as polymer-enhanced zinc oxide. These materials form certain
structures or autonomously arrange themselves into shapes and patterns offering
new properties for printing technology. Special emphasis is being placed on
researching multicomponent systems comprising several materials, as well as
integrated processes used to manufacture formulations of materials for Organic
Electronics.
With their special properties such as uniform conductivity, nanoparticles are
ideal for meeting the high quality standards imposed by Organic Electronics.
The nanoparticles used for this purpose are bound in liquids. This technology
eliminates direct contact with these materials, ensures their safe handling
and allows environmentally friendly production of innovative electronic products.
In a three-stage approach from the laboratory scale to the production environment,
experts are optimizing the interplay between materials, application and printing
process. All the parties involved benefit from the geographical proximity to
the project partners in the Excellence Cluster: situated close to the Rhein-Neckar
metropolitan region, BASF SE, Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG and Darmstadt Technical
University can rapidly exchange research results. Altogether twenty research
scientists from the metropolitan region are involved in the project.
The "Forum Organic Electronics" Excellence Cluster is a cooperative
network of three DAX companies, eight international corporations, five medium-sized
companies and eleven research institutes and colleges, including two elite universities.
The objectives of the Excellence Cluster are to create the world's leading development
and production center for Organic Electronics, one of the most attractive places
for top-flight researchers and young academics to work as well as the world's
leading innovation center for knowledge transfer and company start-ups. The
27 companies, universities and research institutes are cooperating in the research
projects for the technology of the future, Organic Electronics, which is being
sponsored by the BMBF to the amount of €40 million.
Posted July 27th, 2009
