• Login
    • Join
  • FOLLOW:
  • Subscribe Free
    • Magazine
    • eNewsletter
    Checkout
    • Magazine
    • News
    • Exclusives
    • Top Companies
    • Printing Inks
    • Raw Materials
    • Equipment
    • Directories
    • Events
    • Jobs
    • More
  • Magazine
  • News
  • Exclusives
  • Top Companies
  • Printing Inks
  • Raw Materials
  • Equipment
  • Directories
  • Events
  • Jobs
  • Current / Back Issues
    Features
    Columns
    Editorial
    Digital Edition
    eNewsletter Archive
    Our Team
    Editorial Guidelines
    Subscribe Now
    Advertise Now
    eBook
    Top Features
    Jim Kochanny, INX International Ink Co.

    Neil Hersh - ECKART America

    The Packaging Ink Market in 2023

    Sustainability and the Ink Industry

    Industry is Looking Forward to the 2023 European Coatings Show
    Breaking News
    Distributor News
    Financial News
    Industry News
    Ink Manufacturers News
    Market Research
    Mergers and Acquisitions
    New Products
    Personnel
    Price Increases
    Printers News
    Suppliers News
    Live From Shows
    Video Bites
    Top News
    Weekly Recap: INX Digital, hubergroup and HP Top This Week’s Stories

    Mactac Acquires Canadian Roll Label Distributor Label Supply

    WestRock Advances its Commitment to a Sustainable Future

    Roland DGA Announces Key Service Department Personnel Changes

    The 2023 CPIPC Golf Outing is Teeing Off on June 21
    Whitepapers
    Glossary
    Top North American Companies
    Top International Companies
    Conductive Inks and Printed Electronics
    Graphic Arts Coatings
    Inkjet Inks and Toners
    Marking and Pad Printing Inks
    News Inks
    Packaging Flexo Inks
    Packaging Gravure Inks
    Publication Gravure Inks
    Publication Offset Inks
    Screen Inks
    Sheetfed Inks
    Specialty Inks
    UV and EB Inks

    Roland DGA Announces Key Service Department Personnel Changes

    Videojet Introduces Two New Non-CMR Inks for Food and Beverage Packaging

    Kodak Acquires Graphic Systems Services Inc.

    Roland DGA to Hold Open House Event at its Atlanta Imagination Center

    Richnerstutz AG Acquires an EFI VUTEk Q5r Superwide Roll-to-Roll Printer
    Additives
    Energy-Curable Materials
    Flushed Colors and Pigments
    Metallics and Special Effects Pigments
    Resins
    Vehicles and Varnishes
    Waxes

    Active Minerals International Announces Price Increase

    Evonik: Weak Economy Characterizes Difficult 1Q 2023

    Neil Hersh - ECKART America

    Brilliant Group Adds Mike Oberski, Alex Gerasimov

    TrustChem USA Appoints Michele Claeson VP of Sales
    Energy-Curing Equipment
    Mills and Mixers
    Testing, Color and QC

    IM GROUP Gathers Best Industrial Tinting System for 10th Year in a Row

    Ross Offers Large Scale Condensate Receiver Tanks, Other Pressure Vessels

    ROSS V Cone Tumble Blenders Set for High Accuracy Mixtures

    Phoseon to Show Latest UV LED Curing Systems at Labelexpo Mexico

    Dr. Gregory Pace Joins RadTech
    Buyers Guide
    Distributor Guide
    European Ink Directory
    U.S. Ink Directory
    International Buyers Guide Companies
    Brilliant Group, Inc.

    Hydrite

    Evonik Corporation

    Micro Powders, Inc.

    Orion Engineered Carbons
    Industry Events
    Live from Show Event
    Webinars
    • Magazine
      • Current / Back Issues
      • Features
      • Editorial
      • Columns
      • Digital Edition
      • eNewsletter Archive
      • Editorial Guidelines
      • Subscribe Now
      • Advertise Now
    • Breaking News
    • Directory
      • Buyers Guide
      • Distributor Guide
      • European Ink Directory
      • U.S. Ink Directory
      • Trade Associations
    • Printing Inks
      • Conductive Inks and Printed Electronics
      • Graphic Arts Coatings
      • Inkjet Inks and Toners
      • Marking and Pad Printing Inks
      • News Inks
      • Packaging Flexo Inks
      • Packaging Gravure Inks
      • Publication Gravure Inks
      • Publication Offset Inks
      • Screen Inks
      • Sheetfed Inks
      • Specialty Inks
      • UV and EB Inks
    • Raw Materials
      • Additives
      • Energy-Curable Materials
      • Flushed Colors and Pigments
      • Metallics and Special Effects Pigments
      • Resins
      • Vehicles and Varnishes
      • Waxes
    • Equipment
      • Energy-Curing Equipment
      • Mills and Mixers
      • Testing, Color and QC
    • Top Companies
      • Top North American Companies
      • Top International Companies
    • Glossary
    • Online Exclusives
    • Slideshows
    • Expert's Opinion
    • Videos
    • Podcasts
    • eBook
    • Blog
    • Infographics
    • Whitepapers
    • Jobs
    • Supplier Microsites
      • Companies
      • Literature / Brochures
      • Whitepapers
      • Product Spec Sheets
      • Videos
      • Jobs
    • Events
      • Industry Events
      • Live From Show Events
      • Webinars
    • About Us
      • About Us
      • Contact Us
      • Advertise With Us
      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms of Use
    Features

    The 2021 Conductive Ink Market

    The conductive ink industry is growing with new applications on the horizon, but silver prices remain a concern.

    The 2021  Conductive Ink Market
    Conductivities of conductive inks. (Chart courtesy of IDTechEx)
    The 2021  Conductive Ink Market
    Roadmap for applications of conductive inks. (Chart courtesy of IDTechEx)
    David Savastano, Editor04.15.21
    Conductive inks and pastes are key to the creating of flexible and hybrid electronics. Conductive materials allow the printed portion of the device to function electronically. It is also a sizable market: estimates place the conductive ink segment at more than $2 billion.

    Conductive inks can be made from any material that is, well, conductive. Silver and carbon-based inks are the primary choices, with copper of interest. However, copper has issues with oxidation that make it less ideal for printing. Nanoparticle-based and particle-free alternatives are also emerging, but they are higher cost.

    Dr. Matthew Dyson, technology analyst with IDTechEx, notes that IDTechEx estimates the current conductive ink market size as $2.3 billion, with silver the primary material for conductive inks.

    “Almost 80% is silver flake-based ink that is used to make the conductive fingers on silicon solar panels,” Dr. Dyson reported. “While the market for this application is established and may even decline in the future as new technologies are adopted, there is extensive growth in flake-based inks for other applications, and also in emerging categories of conductive inks such as nanoparticle-based and particle-free inks.”

    Khasha Ghaffarzadeh, CEO of TechBlick, a year-round event series with more than 350+ analyst selected live online presentations and 10-plus masterclasses, talked about the latest dynamics of the conductive inks market.

    “Conductive inks are found in anything from a baby diaper to a precision missile,” Ghaffarzadeh said. “This makes the market wonderfully diverse and excellent at always adapting itself, rejuvenating itself, and re-inventing itself.”

    Photovoltaics is the largest market, as conductive materials are used on the back of solar cells. Aside from photovoltaics, sensors, wearables and in-mold electronics are potentially sizable markets.

    “This market is growing,” said Ghaffarzadeh. “Broadly speaking, we can talk of established and emerging applications. In the latter bucket, we have the huge, almost irreplaceable, solar cell market as well as other important markets like printed HMIs, LTCC metallization, and others.

    “Those are fundamental to the industry, but the excitement is really in the emerging applications. Now here I could list many opportunities such as in-mold electronics, eTextiles, 5G filters, EMI shielding, sintered die attach paste, electrodes and skin patches, electrodes in CGMs and other biosensors, uLED substrate metallization, and many more,” Ghaffarzadeh added.

    “In the near term, the biggest growth opportunities would appear to be wearable electronic skin patches and in-mold electronics,” Dr. Dyson observed. “Electronic skin patches require stretchable conductive ink, along with printed conductive electrodes in many cases, and are projected by IDTechEx to reach a market size of $38 billion by 2030.

    “In-mold electronics (IME), and the closely related film-insert molding, is another application opportunity. Integrating electronics within plastic panels reduces weight, complexity and assembly costs. IME is thus highly applicable to automotive interiors, household appliances and even some consumer goods,” he added.

    Toward the end of the decade, Dr. Dyson sees applications in partially additive electronics manufacturing, for example, printing wiring onto existing 3D structures, and also in smart packaging.

    “Even further into the future, electromagnetic meta-surfaces that assist in the propagation and directing of the higher frequencies that will be used for telecommunications may represent a huge market for conductive ink,” he noted.

    “The wide variety of applications for printed electronics means that there are many opportunities for differentiation within conductive inks,” Dr. Dyson noted. “Wearable electronics require inks that are stretchable to various extents and can withstand repeated mechanical flexing. The requirements for IME are slightly different, in that inks need to withstand the temperature and pressure associated with thermoforming.

    However, there are still requirements that conductive ink manufacturers need to address. Dr. Florian Ullrich, business developer with InnovationLab, said that there are several important factors when selecting conductive inks. In particular, Dr. Ullrich pointed to price and availability, delivery time and shelf life, adhesion to substrate, scratch resistance and batch to batch reproducibility as important aspects when InnovationLab selects inks.

    Dr. Ullrich noted that there are areas where conductive inks can be improved, beginning with less hazardous solvents, lower curing temperature or UV curing, higher material load and higher conductivity, and a long time for handling without drying.

    “Considering conductive inks more broadly, the main challenges are durability and cost,” added Dr. Dyson. “Utilizing printed inks in harsh environments, such as automotive applications, means that they need to withstand repeated thermal cycling from -40°C to 80°C, while of course, silver-based inks are vulnerable to metal price rises.”

    The Price of Silver Inks

    That silver price volatility can be significant. Silver prices have been fluctuating wildly. On March 25, 2011, for example, silver prices were $25.165 per ounce according to Comex. The 52-week range was $13.90 to $30.16.

    IDTechEx’s analysts say that rising silver metal prices could lead to changes in the composition of conductive ink markets.

    “The most obvious is an acceleration in the transition from silver to copper, with the latter metal currently over 100x cheaper at around $8/kg,” IDTechEx’s analysts reported. “This price differential means that replacing silver with copper has long been highly desirable. However, it has proved extremely challenging since copper is far more reactive than silver and oxidizes relatively quickly in the air to insulating copper oxide (illustrated by green copper roofs and statues).”

    Future of Printed And Flexible Electronics

    Generally speaking, it seems like more products featuring printed and flexible electronics are reaching the marketplace.

    “Printed electronics is growing, but not uniformly and not across all applications,” Ghaffarzadeh said. “This is no surprise given the tremendous diversity of the field. In fact, your measure of growth depends on how one defines the field of printed electronics.”

    Dr. Dyson said he is seeing signs of growth in the field, and observed that there promising markets for flexible and printed electronics.

    “There is substantial overlap between the most promising markets for printed/flexible electronics and conductive inks,” he added. “As such, electronic skin patches and in-mold electronics are especially promising applications in the near and medium-term, while smart packaging is a compelling long-term prospect.

    “Flexible hybrid electronics (FHE) is another exciting opportunity for conductive ink, since it will enable printed inks to be utilized within circuits that combine mounted components with printed conductive traces, and thus can replace PCBs for applications where flexibility and lightweight are important,” Dr. Dyson noted. “IoT devices are also a highly promising market since they are likely to require both printed/flexible sensors and energy harvesting technologies such as indoor organic photovoltaics.” 
    Related Searches
    • Conductive Inks and Printed Electronics
    Related Knowledge Center
    • Conductive Inks and Printed Electronics
      Loading, Please Wait..
      Trending
      • Sun Chemical Certified By Chile’s Sustainability And Climate Change Agency
      • WestRock Advances Its Commitment To A Sustainable Future
      • Hubergroup Print Solutions Restructures UV Poly/Tin Offset Portfolio
      • BR Printers Adds Two HP PageWide Web Presses T240 HD
      • HP Inc. Reports Fiscal 2023 Second Quarter Results
      Breaking News
      • Weekly Recap: INX Digital, hubergroup and HP Top This Week’s Stories
      • Mactac Acquires Canadian Roll Label Distributor Label Supply
      • WestRock Advances its Commitment to a Sustainable Future
      • Roland DGA Announces Key Service Department Personnel Changes
      • The 2023 CPIPC Golf Outing is Teeing Off on June 21
      View Breaking News >
      CURRENT ISSUE

      April 2023

      • The Packaging Ink Market in 2023
      • Sustainability and the Ink Industry
      • Energy-Curable Ink Market Continues to Grow
      • The 2023 Resin Report
      • Arriving Soon: The EU's New Dawn for Industry
      • Industry is Looking Forward to the 2023 European Coatings Show
      • Videojet Makes Its Mark in Coding Solutions
      • View More >

      Cookies help us to provide you with an excellent service. By using our website, you declare yourself in agreement with our use of cookies.
      You can obtain detailed information about the use of cookies on our website by clicking on "More information”.

      • About Us
      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms And Conditions
      • Contact Us

      follow us

      Subscribe
      Nutraceuticals World

      Latest Breaking News From Nutraceuticals World

      Stefan Pasiakos, PhD, Selected to Lead NIH Office of Dietary Supplements
      Verdure Sciences Receives Award for Sustainable, Ethical Turmeric Sourcing
      BGG Receives Patent for Saw Palmetto ID Method
      Coatings World

      Latest Breaking News From Coatings World

      Indorama Ventures and Carbios Reaffirm Partnership to Build PET Biorecycling Plant
      AkzoNobel Powder Coatings Enhances Digital Services with Launch of My Interpon Portal
      PPG Opens Color Creation Lab with Chery Automobile in China
      Medical Product Outsourcing

      Latest Breaking News From Medical Product Outsourcing

      MPO's Most-Read Stories This Week—June 3
      CardioRenal’s TENOR Device Receives Breakthrough Device Designation from FDA
      LifeQ Unveils New 24-Hour Sleep Solution
      Contract Pharma

      Latest Breaking News From Contract Pharma

      Terran Biosciences, Pierre Fabre Ink Exclusive Licensing Deal for Idazoxan
      ASM Research Chemicals Launches Development Packs for API Manufacturing
      WuXi Increases Manufacturing Capacity in Germany
      Beauty Packaging

      Latest Breaking News From Beauty Packaging

      L'Oréal North Asia President Discusses China's Consumer Sector Recovery & Premium Beauty Trends
      Kiehl’s Celebrates Pride by Supporting The Trevor Project
      L’Oréal & UNESCO Announce 2023 Laureates of the For Women in Science International Awards
      Happi

      Latest Breaking News From Happi

      An Eco-Friendly & Stylish PET Dropper for Cosmetic Products New from Epopack
      Color Street Celebrates Pride Month with Limited-Edition ‘Over the Rainbow’ Nail Strips
      Olay Rolls Out Sensitive Skin Line
      Ink World

      Latest Breaking News From Ink World

      Weekly Recap: INX Digital, hubergroup and HP Top This Week’s Stories
      Mactac Acquires Canadian Roll Label Distributor Label Supply
      WestRock Advances its Commitment to a Sustainable Future
      Label & Narrow Web

      Latest Breaking News From Label & Narrow Web

      Schreiner's Pharma-Comb IL Label supports clinical trial cancer medication
      First Anytron ANY-JET III digital label press installed in Korea
      FPA announces Kasie Fairbarn as elected ELC co-chair
      Nonwovens Industry

      Latest Breaking News From Nonwovens Industry

      Harper Hygienics Launches Hemp-Based Intimate Care Wipes
      What You’re Reading on Nonwovens-Industry.com
      Biodiapers Signs Agreement with Sicam
      Orthopedic Design & Technology

      Latest Breaking News From Orthopedic Design & Technology

      ODT's Most-Read Stories This Week—June 3
      Augmedics Debuts New Features, Indications for xvision Platform
      Artelon Closes $20M Series B Funding
      Printed Electronics Now

      Latest Breaking News From Printed Electronics Now

      Weekly Recap: Francisco Melo, Smart Skis, onsemi Top This Week’s Stories
      DIC Acquires Photoresist Polymers Manufacturer PCAS Canada
      Arkema Collaborates with Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia

      Copyright © 2023 Rodman Media. All rights reserved. Use of this constitutes acceptance of our privacy policy The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Rodman Media.

      AD BLOCKER DETECTED

      Our website is made possible by displaying online advertisements to our visitors.
      Please consider supporting us by disabling your ad blocker.


      FREE SUBSCRIPTION Already a subscriber? Login