Create TechOffers
Title *
Graphene for Transparent Conductive Coatings
Abstract *
(Please provide a summary of your TechOffer)
Transparent conductive coatings (TCC), to meet increased demand and ever higher
expectations for brighter, higher resolution displays, flexible and multi-touch touch panels,
require new materials that existing materials of choice cannot fulfill. Single crystal graphene is
the strongest known material, but yet extremely light and stretchable, almost transparent and
practically impermeable. Also believed to be the world’s best conductor of electricity, heat and
spins, these exceptional properties makes graphene very attractive for a wide range of
applications.
Technology Overview *
(A brief summary or description of the invention - What is the problem solved by this
technology? Who is going to buy this technology? How is this IP addressing a need/problem in
the marketplace?)
Graphene is electrostatically doped with a permanent dipole layer to yield a conductor with high
flexibility, high transparency, impermeability, and ultra-low sheet resistance (10 Ω/ at
transparency >90%). This is superior to Indium Tin Oxide (ITO), which is the dominant
transparent conductor (10 Ω/ at transparency of 80%). In addition ITO is increasingly
expensive due to scarcity of Indium, is inflexible and easily wears out or cracks when bent or
compressed. Hence, graphene is a viable candidate for flexible electronics, optoelectronics and
photonics.
The developed transparent and flexible graphene conductor is integrated into a flexible
electrochromic film for flexible display, smart window, privacy screen and other applications.
Technology Features and Specifications *
(What does the technology comprise of? E.g. Video camera, software algorithm)
The technology comprise of graphene which is electrostatically doped with a permanent dipole
layer. The permanent dipole layer may be a polarized ferroelectric layer. A flexible
electrochromic film utilizing electrostatically doped graphene as a conductor is also described
here.
The developed electrochromic film has high contrast ratios, requiring only 0.5% of power in
contrast to commercially available films. In addition, unlike ITO, graphene is UV-resistant.
Hence graphene does not degrade when exposed to UV rays, making graphene based
electrochromic films suitable for outdoor applications.
Table 1 shows a comparison chart with a popular film currently on the market:
Table 1: Comparison Chart
Smart Tint
Smart Panel System
Flexible Privacy Glass
6000
3.5
Transparency: ON state ( % )
75
> 75
Transparency: OFF state ( % )
7
0.5
UV Transmission (at 250nm)
1%
0.1%
Controlled dimming
No
Tunable opacity
Non-volatile operation
No
Yes*
Twice as flexible as
glass
Completely flexible
Metric
Power Consumption (mW/sqm)
Flexibility
Potential Applications *
(In which industry can this technology be employed? What are the products that can be
marketed based on this technology?)
Transparent and flexible graphene conductor is a viable candidate to replace ITO as a
transparent conductive coating in flexible electronics, optoelectronics and photonics. Some of
the potential applications are novel electrochromic film for flexible display, smart windows and
other applications, fast and flexible pyroelectric infrared detectors and flexible touch screen
devices.
Market Trends and Opportunities *
(What is the approximate market size for this technology? What makes this IP attractive to the
market?)
According to a new market report by IDTechex, the transparent conductive film market will reach
US$1.2bn in 2025. Graphene based transparent conductive coatings are flexible, impermeable
and have lower sheet resistance at higher transparency levels as compared to ITO.
Customer Benefits *
(How is this an improvement over the "State of the Art?" What is the Value Proposition?)
The developed electrostatically doped graphene as a transparent conductive coating
demonstrates lower sheet resistance at a higher transparency as compared to ITO (10 Ω/ at
transparency >90%), higher flexibility and impermeability. In addition, unlike ITO, graphene has
the added advantage of being UV-resistant (ie. The film does not degrade when exposed to UV
rays). A flexible electrochromic film fabricated with graphene as transparent conductive coating
shows several advantages such as lower power consumption, high flexibility, tunable opacity
and non-volatile operation.
Additional Technical Information
(Provide as much additional information about the technology as possible. This information
will not be exposed.)
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