‘Printed Electronics’ – Increased Use of Films in the Electronics Sector

31.10.2023 - Nowadays, requirements and technical possibilities in the electronics sector are becoming more and more diverse and innovative. So-called printed electronics are of particular importance in numerous applications such as measuring technology, e-mobility or sensor technology. Special printing processes produce lightweight, flexible and stretchable electronics on the basis of films. Here, electronic components are produced and put (printed) directly on the films or film composites. Through different printing processes individual layers with different electronic properties are produced. These include, for example, conductive tracks, sensors or OLEDs.

Advantages and Properties of Films

Due to their specific electrical properties, films and film composites are perfectly suited for this sensitive area and are therefore increasingly used in electronics. The films used in this process have to ‘withstand’ high temperature fluctuations – also because of the small-scale and close placement of a wide variety of elements – and meet increased demands for flexibility and safety at the same time. The high-quality films used may only have very low shrinkage values at very high temperatures (up to 200 °C). A possible pretreatment of the film surface is also very useful for printing, as this allows for close-meshed and multilayered printing, e.g. with conductive tracks. However, films may not only be used as a base material in the electronics sector, they can also be used, like in many other applications, as insulation and sealant against moisture.

Generally, the use of ‘printed electronics’ makes for compactness and cost efficiency, whereby they may be used in many industries for example for temperature sensors, flexible displays or sensors for the automotive industry. Such innovative use of electronics paves the way for intelligent products in fields of application where conventional electronics are too large and too static. Film-based printed electronics, on the other hand, are light, flexible and in most cases also less costly.

As an expert in film applications, Polifibra Folien GmbH offers custom-fit solutions for optimum use of films and insulating materials in both the industrial and electrotechnical sector. With our customers, we develop innovative solutions in order to use films and their properties in the best way possible for the individual areas of application.

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