Printed, Flexible and Organic Electronics

With over 800 million people with diabetes in the world today, the market for diabetes management is substantial. IDTechEx forecasts the market for diabetes management technologies to exceed US$44 billion by 2035, with continuous glucose monitors (CGM) and insulin pump markets driving growth in the next ten years.

Greater integration of electronics within 3D structures is an ever-increasing trend, representing a more sophisticated solution compared to the current approach of mounting rigid printed circuit boards (PCBs) behind decorative surfaces. In-mold electronics (IME) facilitates this trend by enabling integrated functionalities to be incorporated into components with decorative thermoformed 3D surfaces.

Sensor technology comes in many shapes and sizes, designed to measure a wide range of metrics for a host of different applications. There are sensors to collect data from almost all physical parameters: motion, magnetic field, current, temperature, force-light intensity - the list goes on. These miniaturized components are everywhere, from our smart-phones and home appliances to within cars, factories, and satellites.

As applications for wearable technology grow, there are increasing opportunities for sensors that can detect more advanced metrics, be integrated into novel form factors, offer enhanced performance, or demand less power and space. Innovations in wearable sensor technology are expanding the envelope of biometrics accessible through watches and skin patches, addressing the rising demand for remote patient monitoring and decentralized clinical trials but also increasing consumer expectations.

Conductivity is a hot topic within the conductive inks sector, with a wide variation of requirements for it differing by application. The low current of capacitive touch sensors and the need for resistance in PTC (positive temperature coefficient) heaters means the conductivity requirement for these applications is low. On the other hand, power electronics stand at the far end of the spectrum, with high conductivity required for high efficiency and optimum results.

Conductive inks are a diverse and versatile technology, with differing price points to suit various applications. Conductivity, stretchability, cost, and durability are just some of the factors of consideration for manufacturers when selecting ink types and materials, and IDTechEx's latest report, Conductive Inks Market 2024-2034: Technologies, Applications, Players, deep dives into the many combinations available.

Silver-flake-based inks currently dominate the conductive inks market, but the outlook for non-silver inks is set to change dramatically over the coming decade, with a CAGR of 24%. Stretchable/thermoformable inks and copper inks will seize the largest market share, driven by applications such as in-mold electronics, wearable electrodes, and RFID & smart packaging.

The Paris 2024 Olympic Games are underway, and elite athletes from all over the world are competing in various games using a range of different skills. With constant debate over gold, silver, and bronze medals, a comparison can be made with the conductive inks market. Silver flake-based inks are set to win gold in a number of different application areas, beating out competition from a host of conductive ink types.

IDTechEx expects the printed and flexible sensor market to reach US$960 million by 2034, with a compound annual growth rate of 8.6%. Being connected to infrastructure systems or partnering with suppliers and distributors will help printed sensors take off, alongside their ability to be available at scale, robust, and have long product lifetimes.

Wednesday 3 July 2024 - Introduction to the broad family of conductive inks; Status and outlook for the dominant conductive ink type, silver flake-based ink, including an assessment of current demand and a ten-year forecast; Overview of emerging applications; Critical assessment of the outlook for non-silver inks such as stretchable/thermoformable inks and copper inks.