New CNT ink enables see-through GPS devices

Linde Electronics, the global electronics business of The Linde Group, has launched a revolutionary new carbon nanotube ink to drive innovation in the development of next-generation displays, sensors and other electronic devices.

Linde’s carbon nanotube inks can be used to manufacture completely new technologies, such as a smartphone with a screen that rolls up like a window shade and a see-through GPS device embedded in the windshield of a car.

Carbon nanotubes with only 10,000th the diameter of a human hair are an allotrope of carbon-like graphite and diamond, and they have unique physical and electronic properties. These include a higher thermal conductivity than diamond, greater mechanical strength than steel (orders of magnitude by weight) and a larger electrical conductivity than copper. It is due to these properties that carbon nanotubes will enable electronic device manufacturers to develop more innovative electronic devices.

To help device manufacturers and the research and development community to explore the full potential of carbon nanotube-based technologies, Linde is making its nanotube inks available to developers. These nanotube inks contain individual carbon nanotubes and are produced without damaging or shortening the nanotubes and therefore preserve the unique nanotube properties. This development is said to drastically improve the performance of transparent conductive thin films made from the inks and opens the door for the development of nanotube applications in not only consumer electronics but also the healthcare sector and sensor manufacturing.

“While we’ve seen a lot of excitement around nanotubes in the past 10 years, we’ve not yet seen a commercially viable nanotube solution in the market because of challenges in the processing of this great material,” said Dr Sian Fogden, Market and Technology Development Manager for Linde Electronics’ nanomaterials unit. “Our nanotube technology and our unique nanotube inks overcome these challenges, paving the way for completely new types of high-functionality electronic devices.”

Linde, which develops and supplies specialist materials and gases for the world’s leading electronic manufacturers, is in the final development stages with its single wall carbon nanotube technology. Alongside the launch of the nanotube ink into the development community, the company will also provide its nanotube ink at large scale directly to electronic device manufacturers.