Recently, Plextronics announced the opening of its first manufacturing development line (D-line) to begin manufacturing printed solar cells. What does this have to do with e-paper? A lot actually…read on.
High-Functionality Inks
Headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA, Plextronics has developed Plexcore® polymers and inks, a key ingredient in the formation of high-quality organic layers needed for printed electronics. A Carnegie Mellon spinout, Plextronics has been working for six years to perfect a polymer-based ink designed to target applications such as power-efficient flexible displays, plastic solar cells and item-level RFID tags.
Because several layers are required for printed electronic circuitry, Plextronics has developed a range of products, which can be tailored to the particular needs of a device. Besides being both chemically and thermally stable, Plexcore® OC (organic conductive ink is a solution-processable, organic conductive ink that can serve multiple functions in a device whereas Plexcore® OS is an organic semiconductor designed as a low-cost replacement for silicon semiconductors in certain applications. Because printed solar cells are the first target for commercialization, the company has developed an Organic Photovoltaic (OPV) ink system, Plexcore® PV-a ready-to-use ink system that consists of a p/n photoactive ink and a custom-designed hole transport ink that are solution-processable.
This is a critical step in moving printed electronics forward because one of the greatest challenges/barriers towards commercialization has been inks with a high functionality that can be used in low-cost manufacturing processes, i.e., printing. If it works as the company claims, it could open tremendous possibilities for low-cost printed electronics, and that definitely includes backplanes for e-paper. While the market for printed electronics was approximately $1 billion in 2006, it is expected to exceed $300 billion within 20 years.
Proving It Works
Because of the tremendous pressure to develop low-cost alternative energy sources, recently there has been extensive development work in the area of printed photovoltaics. To prove that its inks could indeed provide a solution, Plextronics decided to demonstrate their successful integration into printed solar cells. The company built a $6 million operation, called the D-Line. It is actually a scaled-down version of a commercial manufacturing facility, with a state-of-the art clean room, which uses yellow light to prevent degradation due to ultraviolet light. The operation also enables the company to access the most commercially-viable processing methods for the inks in a manufacturing environment.
It is a bold and innovative move on the part of the relatively new company, which was founded in 2002. It is also strategically astute; companies in an emerging market are often reluctant to invest in new technology until it is proven to be capable of commercialization. Plextronics is willing to stand behind its technology and prove its reliability in a manufacturing environment. “Sometimes, especially in an emerging market like printed electronics, a company must be willing to take the initial steps to demonstrate to the marketplace what’s possible with new technology. That’s what the D-Line does. It allows customers and partners to witness what can be accomplished with the ink and process technology that’s developed right here at Plextronics,” said Andy Hannah Plextronics President and CEO.
Nearing Commercialization
Commercialization could begin in 2010; the D-Line is an important step toward that goal. “Creating this line is a novel approach for an early stage company, a way to remain the world leader in this industry,” continues Hannah, “Now we not only own the inks, but also the method of scaling up manufacturing establishing the intellectual property around our product.” So far, Plextronics has made all the right moves towards becoming a leader in the printed electronics industry. It has also assembled an impressive array of partnerships with industry companies, universities and governmental agencies including Carnegie Mellon University, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, U.S. Army Research Laboratory, Organic Electronics Association (OE-A), Pennsylvania NanoMaterials Commercialization Center, The Technology Collaborative, The FlexTech Alliance and Sigma-Aldrich to help it achieve its goals. The proof of its efforts will become apparent in the near future.
By Linda M. Casatelli
flexible, ink, photovoltaic, plexcore, plextronics