X-MINING What is Printed Electronics? Exploring its Applications, Practical Examples, and Future Potential

In today’s world, where environmental issues are becoming more critical and the efficient use of natural resources is essential, building a sustainable society has become an urgent task. Meanwhile, as we move towards a more advanced information society with the use of AI, IoT, and big data, the demand for the electronics industry continues to grow. Electronic devices typically have circuits formed on substrates within the devices, but the process of forming these circuits consumes a lot of energy and has a high environmental impact. As the demand for devices grows, there is a push towards revising traditional manufacturing processes to develop technologies that are more environmentally friendly and make better use of natural resources. “Printed Electronics” is one such technology that meets these needs. Compared to traditional methods of manufacturing electronic devices, it reduces energy consumption and enables the production of lightweight, flexible electronic devices. Printed electronics technology, especially when applied to materials like resin films, is expected to find applications in various fields due to its design flexibility and environmental considerations. In this column, we will delve deeper into the potential of printed electronics and the importance of the complex inks we are developing.

Printed electronics is a cutting-edge technology that manufactures electronic circuits and devices on both solid and flexible substrates using conductive, semiconductor, and insulating inks through printing techniques. Currently, photolithography, a method where the entire substrate is coated with material and then unwanted parts are dissolved with chemicals to form circuit patterns, is the mainstream technology for manufacturing electronic circuits. In photolithography, a large amount of water is required for plating, and copper solution and photosensitive materials are disposed of, resulting in a high environmental impact. In contrast, printed electronics directly print electronic circuits on flexible film substrates, offering advantages such as natural resource conservation, energy savings, carbon reduction, weight reduction, and cost reduction. This technology has attracted significant attention from the industry.

Why Printed Electronics are Gaining Attention

With the advancement of digital technologies like IT and ICT and the proliferation of IoT technologies, the digitalization of various objects is progressing. This has led to a diversification and complication of electronic device forms, from automobiles and smartphones to ultra-light wearable devices and foldable displays, in both industrial and domestic applications. Printed electronics enable high productivity and flexibility of substrates, making it possible to respond to thinning, weight reduction, and large-area products, as well as enabling high-speed, low-cost production. The technology allows for the application of conductive ink to form circuit patterns only where needed, significantly shortening manufacturing processes and reducing investment in equipment, as well as material and energy consumption.

The Technology Behind Printed Electronics Various printing methods, including inkjet and screen printing, are used in printed electronics technology.

These methods facillitate the direct printing of electronic inks and conductive materials on substrates even without water-intensive plating, shortening the process compared to traditional technologies and achieving energy savings, CO2 reduction, H₂O reduction, increased flexibility, and improved production efficiency.

[Related Article] What is Conductive Ink? Applications and Cost-Reduction Methods

Reduced Environmental Impact

By using precise amounts of copper foil and insulating materials and avoiding extensive equipment and thermal processes, printed electronics can significantly reduce energy consumption and CO2 emissions compared to traditional manufacturing..

Cost Reduction Through Shorter Processes

Eliminating complex manufacturing processes can contribute to reduced production time and costs. The Roll to Roll method, which feeds rolled substrates through the machine for printing and then re-rolls them, allows for the mass production of electronic circuits at high speeds, offering significant advantages over sheet-based methods.

Flexible Substrates, Complex Wiring, and Large-Area Substrates

Printing on flexible substrates and applying the technology to large-area substrates, which was difficult with traditional methods, is now possible. This on-demand manufacturing method also allows for the development of new products tailored to a wide variety of needs.

Printed electronics technology is applied in a wide range of fields, including displays, solar cells, RFID tags, and sensors. It is also suitable for producing customized products in small quantities.

Displays

The technology revolutionizes the manufacturing of thin, flexible displays, enabling the development of bendable displays, roll-up screens, and transparent displays, which were challenging to achieve with traditional technologies. This has led to the emergence of new products such as wearable devices, smartwatches, smartphones, and advertising displays.

Solar Cells

Printed electronics enable the production of lightweight, flexible solar cells, allowing for their installation in places where traditional rigid panels could not be used, such as building roofs, walls, and even clothing or bags. The potential for low-cost production contributes to the expansion of renewable energy.

RFID Tags

Mass production and low-cost manufacturing are achievable, expanding the use of RFID tags in logistics, inventory management, and individual item identification. The ability to print on flexible materials also allows for applications in clothing, books, and food packaging, which were difficult with traditional RFID tags.

Sensors

Sensors are essential for realizing a smart society and are needed in various fields such as energy, healthcare, autonomous driving, smart factories, and smart textiles. High-performance, highly adaptable, small, lightweight, and inexpensive devices are required to build advanced sensor systems, and printed electronics technology is one of the solutions.

Customized Electronic Circuit Formation

Printed electronics technology is suitable for manufacturing products in small quantities and diverse varieties. This technology makes it easy to manufacture customized electronic circuits, enabling high cost-performance even in small lots. This facilitates the development of various products tailored to specific needs, such as sensor networks, displays for special applications, and individualized wearable devices.

Sumitomo Metal Mining is advancing the development of “Copper Powder Added MOD Paste (Metal Organic Decomposition Paste),” which possesses high conductivity and stability. This conductive material has successfully achieved thick film formation, a challenge with conventional conductive materials, allowing for the formation of low-resistance, high-performance electronic circuits capable of carrying large currents on flexible substrates. Furthermore, the thick film formation enables large-area applications, making it suitable for solar panels and large displays, and promoting it as an environmentally friendly material.

[Product Introduction] MOD Paste (Metal Organic Decomposition Paste)

The evolution of printed electronics technology is fundamentally transforming the manufacturing processes of electronic devices and promoting new product development. This technology, with its consideration for the environment and cost-effectiveness, is expected to play a significant role in achieving a sustainable society

Printed electronics is an innovative technology expected to find applications across various industrial fields, leveraging its flexibility, cost-efficiency, and environmental considerations. The copper powder added MOD Paste developed by Sumitomo Metal Mining, suitable for application on flexible substrates, is a promising material in the field of printed electronics.