IDTechEx's portfolio of Advanced Materials & Critical Minerals Research Reports and Subscriptions is one of its most diverse, covering the latest developments across many advanced materials including conductive inks, graphene, and more.
Conductive ink commissions
Conductive inks are a small but mighty technology that encompasses a variety of types which vary by application and customer demand. Silver and copper are amongst the most common metal choices for conductive inks, with carbon options also on the market. Flake-based, nanoparticle, nanowire, and particle-free, are some of the ink formulations available, which can be selected for their degree of conductivity and other properties.
Some of the most common uses for conductive inks over the last decade have been within the photovoltaic market for silicon solar panels, and for glucose test strips, however IDTechEx states that there is an increasing trend towards more specialized applications that are moving away from conventional inks, and instead commissioning inks with specific desirable properties. IDTechEx's report, "Conductive Inks Market 2026-2036: Technologies, Applications, Players", identifies in-mold electronics, wearable electronics, and e-textiles as being amongst the emerging applications expected to benefit from developments in conductive inks.
Despite their name, conductivity is not the only factor which needs to be considered in the production of the inks, as flexibility, adhesivity, thermoformability, and production methods will also play a role in determining the most suitable inks for an application. Ease of adoption is one factor necessary to consider so that customers can still use existing printing or sintering methods to optimize time and costs, though IDTechEx's report highlights that inks with a high degree of differentiation will also generate pricing power and market share. The manufacturing of conductive inks with specific properties that comply with existing production infrastructure would be an ideal scenario, so that they can optimally serve an application in the most streamlined way and be of the most value to customers. Durability and conductivity would be two examples of performance traits that could be diversified without needing to alter production routes.
Growing graphene
Also existing on a tiny scale, graphene, or the 'wonder material', is another advanced material researched by IDTechEx. Its most highly-valued and sought-after characteristics are, however, mostly accessible in the form of pristine sheets of graphene, which can prove extremely difficult to keep intact as they are transferred from their growth site to an application area. High strength and stiffness, high thermal conductivity, and low electrical resistivity, are key properties of graphene regarded in IDTechEx's report, "Graphene & 2D Materials 2026-2036: Technologies, Markets, Players", as 'theoretical', based on the few number of companies currently able to produce true graphene.
With much of the graphene hype over the past few years having settled down, there are still notable efforts to source the advanced properties of the material and explore new avenues within the market. Multiwall carbon nanotubes are one example of how graphene can be deployed successfully and used within an application that can have multiple benefits across composites, electronics, and medical sectors.
One trend within the market includes next-generation graphene being made through more efficient processes or from alternative feedstocks. The report identifies green or waste feedstocks such as wood as being one option, explored by Bio Graphene Solutions, which could make the production of graphene more sustainable. Other trends include the functionalization of graphene to control oxidation and enhance differentiation, which many companies are reportedly working on to meet customer demands. However, IDTechEx advises that many trends are far from commercial adoption, with some developments even potentially proving to be a threat to incumbent graphene production.
For more information on conductive inks, graphene, and the wider advanced materials market, visit IDTechEx's portfolio of Advanced Materials & Critical Minerals Research Reports and Subscriptions for the latest developments.
