Carbon-based materials may threaten silver

NanoMarkets, a US-based analyst firm, has issued a report that predicts a US$1.9 billion market opportunity for carbon-based inks, pastes and coatings for electronics applications.

The report notes that, while silver grabs most of the headlines in printed electronics, carbon is a big business opportunity, not only as a supporting player but also in its own right.

The new carbon nanomaterials - carbon nanotubes and graphene - promise to offer silver a run for its money, even in the applications where silver is currently dominant.

While the report projects that conventional carbon materials will remain dominant over the next several years, carbon nanotubes are beginning to emerge and graphene will also emerge within just a few years.

These two materials will comprise close to 50% of the total carbon materials market in 2017, as they not only enhance the performance of conventional carbon but also become competitive with silver in some applications, like RFID antennas.

Traditional thick-film applications, making up almost 40% of the market in 2010, will fall in significance in favour of high-growth energy-related applications such as photovoltaics, lead-carbon ultrabatteries and supercapacitors over the next two to three years.

By 2017 it is predicted that these three applications will compromise almost 60% of the market for carbon-based inks, pastes and coatings. The high conductivity of carbon nanotubes and graphene will provide a new, potentially lower-cost alternative to costly silver and ITO. Transparent conductive applications will comprise almost 10% of the carbon market by 2017.