12.10.09
Materials for Printed Electronics Expected to Grow to $7.7 Billion by 2012
According to “Opportunities in Materials for Printable Electronics: 2007 and Beyond,” a new report from NanoMarkets, a leading industry analyst firm based in Glen Allen, VA, the market for electronic inks and related substrate materials used in manufacturing printed electronics is expected to grow to $7.7 billion by 2012. The firm also noted that with several firms gearing up to enter full-scale production mode in 2007 and 2008, the printed electronics business is moving into a new and exciting phase.
According to NanoMarkets, until quite recently, printable electronics (PE) firms used a small variety of materials from a small number of producers. However, in the past year as PE has begun to take off commercially, there has been something of an explosion in the number of different materials that are being proposed for inks and a growing amount of interest from some of the largest specialty chemical firms in what PE can do for their bottom line. A few smaller firms are playing in this market too, believing that PE materials may be more suitable for the entrepreneurial business model financed by venture capitalists or strategic investors.
This new report from NanoMarkets examines where the money will be made in printed electronics materials over the next eight years and who will make it. It follows NanoMarkets’ study released in early 2006 and expandson the analysis contained in that report. This report provides an answer to the core question facing firms supplying materials into PE market: How can suppliers best offer materials that are distinguishable from others in this relatively small marketplace, but yet are not so specialized that they can be sold in only R&D level quantities?
The report includes detailed forecasts in volume and value terms for PE inks and substrates, an analysis of the marketing strategies of leading firms active in the PE materials sector, a look at newer firms in the market with innovative product strategies and value chain analysis for the PE sector from a materials point of view.
Key findings from this report include:
•Silver inks go nano: Nanoparticulate silver inks bring numerous benefits including improved conductivity, lower temperature curing and the printing of finer lines, but at a price premium. NanoMarkets expects that premium to gradually erode, leading to strong growth in the nanosilver market, which is expected to reach almost $900 million by 2014.
•Innovations expected in polymer inks: Organic LEDs and transistors are becoming key enablers of the latest IT including mobile video, flexible displays and RFID. These applications are driving the market for polymer inks, which are expected to reach $1.7 billion by 2014. However, NanoMarkets expects that such revenues will only be achievable through new polymer materials that offer improved mobility, high room temperature stability, tunable conductivity and greater ability to serve in outdoor applications.
•Plastics: Plastics will dominate the substrate market, generating $7.7 billion in revenues by 2014. Today, no other kind of material is so suitable for flexible products and roll-to-roll production processes at such a low price. Although several kinds of plastic including PET and other materials that offer curing advantages are being used, things look especially good for PEN because of its greater dimensional and thermal stability.
The new NanoMarkets report, “Opportunities in Materials for Printable Electronics: 2007 and Beyond,” forecasts and analyzes the markets for a wide variety of materials and inks used in printable electronics. In addition to polymer and silver inks, the report also discusses a wide variety of emerging inks including those based on nickel, copper, gold, small molecules, silicon and carbon nanotubes. The report also covers paper, board, glass and metal foil as substrates for PE. The report discusses the strategies of leading suppliers in the PE materials space including Air Products, BASF, Chevron, Dow Corning, National Starch Nippon Steel Chemical, Siemens, Sumitomo, Sun Chemical and Weyerhaeuser.
NanoMarkets tracks and analyzes emerging market opportunitiescreated by developments in advanced materials. The firm has published numerous reports related to nanoelectronics, organic, thin film and PE materials, applications and production modalities. The firm publishes a glob at www.nanotopblog.com. For more contact NanoMarkets, (804) 360-2967;go to web: www.nanomarkets.net; e-mail: info@nanomarkets.net