Printed Electronics
Driving innovation in printed electronics
Printed electronics provides a whole series of design opportunities that will lead to the creation of a range of future electronic applications across a number of markets.
We have over fifteen years’ experience developing functional printed electronic devices over a broad range of technologies from thin film transistors for display backplanes, to flexible sensor systems and large area electromagnetic detection arrays. By utilising our world-class facilities for scale up and commercialisation, we help you manufacture printed electronics components and devices for feasibility, prototyping and up-to market seeding volumes.
Browse Capabilities
Sensors, Energy Harvesting and Storage
We have acquired years of experience in the fabrication of printable sensors that can measure parameters such as temperature, stress and strain, gases and even biological molecules. With the freedom of design and functional flexibility imparted by printing onto flexible substrates; sensors can be thin, lightweight, large area or embedded within devices where traditional electronics cannot fit. We also have the expertise to design energy harvesting and storage devices within thin, lightweight and flexible form factors.
Barrier and Encapsulation Technologies
Our teams are able to offer their expertise in barrier and encapsulation technologies, allowing you to protect sensitive materials from the environment to produce stable, long life devices. Our scientists have extensive experience in the deposition and characterisation of barrier layers, including Atomic Layer Deposition, enabling your innovations in flexible, wearable and large-area devices.
Materials and formulation for coating and patterning
We have been developing large-area coating and patterning process for over 15 years, offering key skills such as encapsulation and environmental protection, laser patterning, controlled thin film deposition, and testing of materials, components and devices. We bring together a multi-partner network that spans key knowledge partners and SME innovation enablers, providing you with industry-trained experts and flexible access to facilities for the development and scale up of advanced formulated products. Our teams can provide formulation of inks for printed electronics applications followed by coating, printing and patterning. We understand how the properties of materials in formulation marry with the properties of the film in application, which enables us to rapidly optimise formulations. We can also help you to select or formulate and optimise solvent systems, surfactants, resins and adhesives.
Analytical measurements for investigation and quality control
Quality is a key consideration throughout the entire innovation process, but it is particularly important during scale up. We ensure processes are well controlled so that the materials, components and devices are as defect-free as possible. We are also able to support your project with suites of analytical equipment for investigative analysis and quality control. Our teams can perform surface analytics for morphology and defects in thick and thin films, in addition to process checks for critical dimensions of patterned parts. We also offer physical testing and accelerated ageing of devices to enable optimisation of performance and lifetimes.
Coatings for medical devices
We provide a broad range of services and expertise to develop and scale up novel coatings for medical devices, enhancing their performance, lifetime, safety and efficacy. Our teams can provide formulation, coating and patterning services, all housed under one roof at our state-of-the-art facilities. This is supported by an expert team with academic and industrial backgrounds, familiar with the very latest innovations. We work alongside Micro-SMEs (MSMEs) and SMEs to streamline the development of new coatings and accelerate the journey towards commercialisation, as well as helping to navigate regulatory challenges. Our solutions elevate patient safety and product efficacy, tailored to the specific needs of each project. This includes enhancing durability and antimicrobial properties, reducing friction, and ensuring biocompatibility for a range of MedTech devices.