• 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
    DuPont Artistri Inks Expands Pigment Inks Portfolio at ITMA 2023

    Toyochem Constructs New Pilot Facility for High-Performance Polymers

    UFlex Reports Unaudited 4Q, Full Year 2023 Results

    Weekly Recap: INX Digital, hubergroup and HP Top This Week’s Stories

    Mactac Acquires Canadian Roll Label Distributor Label Supply
    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

    DuPont Artistri Inks Expands Pigment Inks Portfolio at ITMA 2023

    UFlex Reports Unaudited 4Q, Full Year 2023 Results

    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.
    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
    Orion Engineered Carbons

    Shamrock Technologies, Inc.

    Hockmeyer Equipment Corp.

    Microtrac MRB, part of Verder Scientific

    Hydrite
    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 Conductive Ink Market is Showing Growth

    There are more products featuring printed and flexible electronics that are reaching the market, and conductive inks are playing a critical role.

    The Conductive Ink Market is Showing Growth
    The Conductive Ink Market is Showing Growth
    Chart courtesy of IDTechEx
    David Savastano, Editor03.24.22
    Conductive inks are a key market for flexible and printed electronics, as they essentially are responsible for the conductivity. It is a sizable market, with photovoltaics the largest end use. It is also a growing segment.

    Dr. Matthew Dyson, senior analyst for IDTechEx, places the conductive ink segment at more than $2 billion.

    “IDTechEx estimates the current conductive ink market size as $2.3 billion,” said Dr. Dyson. “Almost 80% is silver flake-based ink that is used to make the conductive fingers on silicon solar panels. While the market for this application established and may even decline in 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 of TechBlick noted that the conductive ink market is extremely diverse and is thus hard to characterize as a single uniform entity. He added that the bulk of sales and revenue are still in established applications such as photovoltaics, membrane switches, touch electrodes, heaters and others.

    “However, there are many exciting new applications, which bring with them new requirements as well as new opportunities, and will be the growth areas of the future,” added Ghaffarzadeh.

    “In general, it is sometimes more useful to think of emerging sought-after features showing a high degree of commonality across many new applications,” Ghaffarzadeh observed. “I think formability of inks in general is an important feature these days, as it enables 3D and in-mold electronics as well as stretchable electronics for e-textiles, conformal sensors, wearable sensors, etc.

    Nikhil Pampatwar, head of research and market intelligence for Verified Market Research, said that Verified Market Research estimates that the global conductive ink market for 2020 stood at USD$2.91 billion and is expected to grow at a CAGR of around 4% until year 2028, reaching a market value of USD$3.98 billion.

    “Conductive ink supply is used for printed photovoltaic solar cells, exterior automotive heating applications and edge electrodes for touch screens,” Pampatwar added. “Growth from the automotive industry is likely to drive the overall conductive ink market as it’s a big growth market for conductive ink suppliers. In automotive industry flexible electronics can be used in displays, special sensors, contactless sensing for vehicles. The application is also relevant for electric vehicles.”

    “In the near term the biggest growth opportunities would appear to be wearable electronic skin patches and in-mold electronics,” Dr. Dyson reported. “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.

    Dr. Dyson said that 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,” he added. “IME is thus highly applicable to automotive interiors, household appliances and even some consumer goods.”

    “Towards the end of the decade, we see applications in partially additive electronics manufacturing, for example printing wiring onto existing 3D structures, and of course in smart packaging,” Dr. Dyson added. “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.”

    Biggest Needs

    Dr. Dyson said that the wide variety of applications for printed electronics means that there are many opportunities for differentiation within conductive inks, but there is much to be done.

    “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,” said Dr. Dyson.

    “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.”

    Ghaffarzadeh noted that the trend towards higher conductivity is a mainstay of the industry.

    “People always want to get as close to bulk material as possible, and thus make a more efficient use of a given mass of silver or copper material,” Ghaffarzadeh noted. “In general, if one can sinter the material so that it becomes void- and residue-free with excellent particle packing, then one approaches bulk metal conductivity. This is generally hampered by the need to add binders, adhesion promoters, viscosity adjusters, softness adjusters, as well as by irregular particle shapes and limited curing temperature and time to eliminate all residues.

    “In some cases, to prevent particle agglomeration or comply with the low viscosity requirements of the printing technique, the filler loading is kept low,” he added. “Improving on any of these features will improve the conductivity. To see how good one can get, it might be useful to look at sintered type silver or copper pastes used as die attach in power electronics. These sintered pastes behave very much like bulk material in terms of electrical and thermal conductivity.”

    Ideal Materials for Conductive Inks and Paste

    Silver remains by far the dominant material due to its high conductivity and resistance to oxidation. Dr. Dyson said the ideal material would be highly conductive, inexpensive, and chemically stable, but achieving all three simultaneously is very challenging.

    “Both carbon nanotubes and graphene-based inks have been discussed as alternatives to silver, but thus far have experienced little traction as direct replacements,” Dr. Dyson pointed out. “Instead, they are more likely to find success in niche applications when silver ink is unsuitable. This could be due to a requirement for transparency, specific mechanical properties, or if there are concerns about the sustainability of silver once the product is disposed of.”

    Dr. Dyson said that significant progress is being made on conductive copper inks, which offer both cost and sustainability benefits relative to silver.

    “Utilizing copper hydride to generate an inert atmosphere in-situ enables oxidation to be avoided during deposition/sintering, but printed copper traces will require excellent encapsulation to prevent oxidation once incorporated into a product,” added Dr. Dyson.

    Ghaffarzadeh said that copper has a long story of development in printed electronics.

    “The newer generation of copper inks show great promise,” Ghaffarzadeh said. “The conductivity is better, and crucially there is good data on reliability, ease of sintering/curing as well as a good degree of solder compatibility. These are important milestones that enable the material to be adopted. In other words, if the performance is good and the ink is almost a drop-in replacement, and the cost is lower, then replacement can start.”

    Pampatwar said that metal-based conductive inks are preferred as they have higher electrical/thermal conductivities compared to polymers and carbon-based inks.

    “Silver is more commonly used in printing of electronic products, due to its excellent properties such as high electrical and thermal conductivity, and chemical stability,” Pampatwar said. “Similar to silver, other metals such as gold and copper are among the metals used as conductive inks. But high intrinsic thermal conductivity and cost effectiveness of copper makes it a better choice in making conductive inks compared to silver.

    “However, with changing time and increasing cost of the silver, several new materials such as graphene, carbon nanotubes, copper or copper oxide, conductive zinc, and others are gaining attention,” Pampatwar added. “Polymer and carbon-based conductive inks have flexibility and extensibility and thus are more preferred in the flexible electronics. Carbon-based nanomaterial inks show huge potential in printed electronics application as they are electrically heterogeneous.”

    The Future for Conductive Inks

    Generally speaking, it seems like there are more products featuring printed and flexible electronics that are reaching the marketplace, and conductive inks are finding traction as well.

    “There is substantial overlap between the most promising markets for printed/flexible electronics and for conductive inks,” Dr. Dyson said. “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 light weight are important,” added Dr. Dyson. “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.”

    “There are many industries where conductive inks found wide variety of advantages such as e-textiles, for instance, where conductive inks can be applied after the main product has been produced,” Pampatwar said. “The automotive industry is the next big market for conductive ink suppliers. A key trend here is transparent and efficient larger-area heating to eliminate the visible defroster lines.” 
    Related Searches
    • Conductive Inks and Printed Electronics
    Related Knowledge Center
    • Conductive Inks and Printed Electronics
      Loading, Please Wait..
      Trending
      • DuPont Artistri Inks Expands Pigment Inks Portfolio At ITMA 2023
      • WestRock Advances Its Commitment To A Sustainable Future
      • Toyochem Constructs New Pilot Facility For High-Performance Polymers
      • Videojet Introduces Two New Non-CMR Inks For Food And Beverage Packaging
      • Weekly Recap: INX Digital, Hubergroup And HP Top This Week’s Stories
      Breaking News
      • DuPont Artistri Inks Expands Pigment Inks Portfolio at ITMA 2023
      • Toyochem Constructs New Pilot Facility for High-Performance Polymers
      • UFlex Reports Unaudited 4Q, Full Year 2023 Results
      • Weekly Recap: INX Digital, hubergroup and HP Top This Week’s Stories
      • Mactac Acquires Canadian Roll Label Distributor Label Supply
      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

      SmartyPants Vitamins Launches New Line of Gelatin-Free Multivitamin Gummies
      Flavanol Deficiency Linked to Age-Related Memory Decline: COSMOS-Web Study
      AHPA to Attend CITES Plants Committee Meeting in Geneva
      Coatings World

      Latest Breaking News From Coatings World

      PPG Opens $30-Million Battery Pack Application Center in China
      Fact.MR: Steel Pipe Coatings Market To Hit $14.0 Billion By 2033
      Omya Extends Lightweight Fillers Portfolio with the Acquisition of Bublon
      Medical Product Outsourcing

      Latest Breaking News From Medical Product Outsourcing

      Microbot receives Grant for Endovascular Surgical Robot System
      Recall of Abiomed's Impella 5.5 with SmartAssist is Class I
      New FDA Nod Boosts Philips, Masimo Partnership
      Contract Pharma

      Latest Breaking News From Contract Pharma

      KBI Biopharma Unveils KBI PUREplatform
      AGC Biologics Introduces AGCellerate to Deliver IND-Ready GMP Material
      Element Creates New Lab Solutions Division
      Beauty Packaging

      Latest Breaking News From Beauty Packaging

      Fasten Wins Gold at German Innovation Awards
      Attitude Expands Oceanly Makeup Collection
      L'Oréal Leads Funding Round for Biotech Company, Debut
      Happi

      Latest Breaking News From Happi

      Skylar’s ‘Boardwalk Delight’ Eau de Parfum Launches to Record Success at Sephora
      Register for the IBA Cocktail Reception in Las Vegas During Cosmoprof North America
      Amyris Announces Transformation Program
      Ink World

      Latest Breaking News From Ink World

      DuPont Artistri Inks Expands Pigment Inks Portfolio at ITMA 2023
      Toyochem Constructs New Pilot Facility for High-Performance Polymers
      UFlex Reports Unaudited 4Q, Full Year 2023 Results
      Label & Narrow Web

      Latest Breaking News From Label & Narrow Web

      Baldwin to exhibit 'Complete Quality Control Solutions' at High Security Printing Latin America
      Label Source acquires division of OMNI Systems
      Vetaphone demos ‘M’ corona treater at Mark Andy showroom
      Nonwovens Industry

      Latest Breaking News From Nonwovens Industry

      Maxcess International Opens New Facility in Mumbai
      emtec Showcases Groundbreaking Achievement in Haptic Measurement
      Hollingworth & Vose Joins United Nations Global Compact initiative
      Orthopedic Design & Technology

      Latest Breaking News From Orthopedic Design & Technology

      Orthonika Receives Grant for Total Meniscus Replacement
      Treace to Buy RPM-3D Tech for Up to $30 Million
      Former BD, J&J Executives Join Acuitive Technologies Board
      Printed Electronics Now

      Latest Breaking News From Printed Electronics Now

      Schreiner Group Receives Three FINAT Awards
      MClimate Releases Maintenance-Free CO2 Display
      Blackstone Completes Acquisition of Majority Stake of Copeland

      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