News

Inks Enable High- and Low-Temperature Electronics

November 15, 2015 by Jeff Shepard

DuPont Microcircuit Materials (DuPont) will feature its newest printed electronic technologies and key industry insights during Printed Electronics USA 2015, Nov. 18-19, in Santa Clara, Calif. New materials include conductive inks for wearable and in-mold electronics, and materials that can be processed at very high or low temperatures, expanding the range of applications in the growing printed electronics field. DuPont experts also will share their views on the industry and enabling technologies in three key technical forums during the event. These initiatives are consistent with DuPont's aim to continue expanding its product offering and leadership position in the printed electronics market.

DuPont’s new in-mold electronic inks enable circuits to be printed directly onto plastic substrates, and allow touch controls, such as electronic buttons, switches and slides, to be readily integrated in applications such as home appliances and automobiles.

“DuPont continues to push the limits of printed electronics with advanced materials for a broadening range of applications,” said Steven Willoughby, global segment leader, DuPont Microcircuit Materials. “Thanks to these types of innovations, the opportunities for printed electronics are practically endless.”

At booth #121, DuPont will highlight: New prototypes for wearable electronics, including a sensing headband, gaming gloves, shoe insole, and biometric shirt; all made using DuPont stretchable electronic ink materials. The inks provide a manufacturing-ready alternative to traditional methods of embedding electronics in clothing and are used to create thin, form-fitting circuits that can be seamlessly bonded with many standard fabrics. New inks for wearable electronics being introduced this year include DuPontâ„¢ PE671 and PE971 sensor materials, DuPontâ„¢ PE873 and PE874 conductor materials with improved stretch, and DuPontâ„¢ PE773 encapsulant with improved printability.

A new suite of in-mold electronic inks designed to help streamline electronic devices by reducing the need for rigid circuit boards. These inks enable circuits to be printed directly onto plastic substrates, and allow touch controls, such as electronic buttons, switches and slides, to be readily integrated in applications such as home appliances and automobiles. An in-mold electronics demonstration highlighting capacitive touch under high humidity will be on display in DuPont’s booth and on Demonstration Street, an area at Printed Electronics USA dedicated to showing working products using printed electronic technologies.

And low-temperature inks that cure quickly at temperatures as low as 60 degrees C, opening up the possibility for printed electronics designers to use less expensive plastic films, plus New DuPontâ„¢ Kaptonâ„¢ polyimide inks for high-temperature printed electronic applications such as heaters.

DuPont experts will present during three key technical forums at the show: “In Mold Electronics: The Next Generation Human Machine Interface Technology,” will be presented by John Voultos, segment manager, DuPont Microcircuit Materials, on Wednesday, Nov. 18 at 12:20 p.m. ET in Grand Ballroom G.