Dec 2 2010
Applied Nanotech Holdings, Inc. (OTCBB:APNT)announced the introduction of EXCLUCENT™ , one of the most suitable potential replacements for ITO (Indium Tin Oxide) coated substrates currently used for multiple applications such as liquid crystal displays (LCDs), organic LED (OLED) displays, solar cells, touch screens, transparent antistatic and EMI shielding protectors, as well as substrates for the very promising growing industry of solid state lighting.
EXCLUCENT™ substrates on flexible transparent PET (polyethylene-terephthalate) utilizing copper-based metallic mesh are currently in volume production by an overseas manufacturer and are available for sale by Applied Nanotech, Inc. ("ANI"). ANI can provide sample EXCLUCENT™ substrates and, if necessary, develop specific applications together with potential users.
The industries currently utilizing ITO recognized some time ago that ITO is extremely problematic - suffering from price volatility and sustained high cost. Lately, the market place is constrained by a limited worldwide availability, and a resulting very high price of indium, and potentially tin in the future.
Industries have been searching to find alternatives to ITO such as transparent conductive oxides, polymers, carbon nanotube inks, but at this stage these technical approaches could not achieve the desired properties of very low electrical sheet resistance (EXCLUCENT™ achieved a sheet resistance lower than 0.1 Ohm/sq., which is tenfold lower than the best ITO coated substrates) and transparency better than 80% including the transparency of the substrate itself.
Although metallic mesh based electrically conductive transparent substrates were introduced into the market using silver meshes, the EXCLUCENT™ product uses copper. ANI is currently developing methods to apply its copper ink product Cu-i70, a product that won a 2010 R&D 100 Award from R&D Magazine (see press release of July 9, 2010), to a variety of transparent substrates as a potential ITO coating replacement.
EXCLUCENT™ will be introduced to the public for the first time at the Applied Nanotech booth at the Printed Electronics USA 2010 conference in Santa Clara Convention Center November 30-December 2, 2010.
"This is another step forward for ANI in its transition from a nanotechnology R&D company to a leading nanotechnology commercialization company," commented Dr. Zvi Yaniv, CEO of Applied Nanotech, Inc.
Source: http://www.appliednanotech.net/