A*STAR's Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE) and Cima NanoTech, a US multinational company, have signed an agreement to jointly work on new sustainable nanomaterials, processes and devices for transparent conductors used to make cheaper and more efficient electronics and organic solar cells.

Singapore, Nov 19, 2012 - (ACN Newswire) - IMRE and Cima NanoTech are collaborating to develop new transparent conductive materials and components, based on Cima's SANTE(TM) Technology and IMRE's know-how in printed electronics. These innovations will enable efficient conductive interfaces with high transparency, which can be developed into low cost and high performance products for displays, organic solar cells, and flexible electronics.

Conventional Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) and Transparent Conductive Oxides (TCO) used in today's solar cells, OLEDs, flat panel TVs, and touchscreen displays have limitations in conductivity, flexibility, and cost. These new materials and processes that IMRE and Cima are developing will potentially enable faster response touch screens for large flexible displays and reduce production cost.

"Cima is particularly interested in IMRE's extensive electronics materials systems and device fabrication capabilities, said Mr Jon Brodd, Cima NanoTech's Chief Executive Officer (Singapore). IMRE and CIMA are working together to develop enabling nanotechnology materials, components, and processing methods to support new market applications in transparent conductors and printed electronics with SANTE, Cima NanoTech's self aligning nanoparticle network.

"We are collaborating with Cima to develop new transparent conductor applications that will lead to cheaper, flexible, more eco-friendly and sustainable products," said Dr Zhang Jie, the key scientist leading IMRE's printed electronics initiative. The research team will develop applications using novel, sustainable transparent conductor materials as an alternative to conventional ITO-based materials.

"Innovations in materials R&D are crucial in evolving today's devices into new products with tomorrow's technology. IMRE's research portfolio covers the entire printed electronics value chain that includes materials, processes, optimisation and reliability testing for integrated printed electronics prototypes. I am glad that we can present a diverse suite of capabilities in partnering Cima in the area of transparent conductors and printed electronics," said Prof Andy Hor, IMRE's Executive Director.

About the Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE)

The Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE) is a research institute of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR). The Institute has capabilities in materials analysis & characterisation, design & growth, patterning & fabrication, and synthesis & integration. We house a range of state-of-the-art equipment for materials research including development, processing and characterisation. IMRE conducts a wide range of research, which includes novel materials for organic solar cells, photovoltaics, printed electronics, catalysis, bio-mimetics, microfluidics, quantum dots, heterostructures, sustainable materials, atom technology, etc. We collaborate actively with other research institutes, universities, public bodies, and a wide spectrum of industrial companies, both globally and locally. For more information about IMRE, please visit www.imre.a-star.edu.sg

About the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR)

The Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) is Singapore's lead public sector agency that fosters world-class scientific research and talent to drive economic growth and transform Singapore into a vibrant knowledge-based and innovation driven economy. In line with its mission-oriented mandate, A*STAR spearheads research and development in fields that are essential to growing Singapore's manufacturing sector and catalysing new growth industries. A*STAR supports these economic clusters by providing intellectual, human and industrial capital to its partners in industry. A*STAR oversees 20 biomedical sciences and physical sciences and engineering research entities, located in Biopolis and Fusionopolis as well as their vicinity. These two R&D hubs house a bustling and diverse community of local and international research scientists and engineers from A*STAR's research entities as well as a growing number of corporate laboratories. Please visit www.a-star.edu.sg

About Cima NanoTech Inc

Cima NanoTech is an advanced nanomaterials company that has developed SANTE(TM), our self aligning silver nanoparticle network. SANTE Technology provides ultra low conductivity at high transparency as well as flexibility in a low cost, clean manufacturing process. SANTE Technology was a World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer Award Winner, and top 10 Greentech/Cleantech recipient. SANTE is used for applications like Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) shielding, Touch Displays, Photovoltaic, OLED Lighting, Flexible Displays, and other electronic applications. Cima NanoTech's headquarters is in the United States with business development centers in Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Israel and Singapore. Cima NanoTech's Asia Headquarters & Product Development lab is located at the new CleanTech One building in Singapore. Production is also done at manufacturing facilities in Israel, Japan, and Korea. Please visit www.cimananotech.com for more information.

Source: A*STAR

Contact:

Mr Eugene Low
Manager, Corporate Communications
for Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE)
DID: +65 6874 8491
Mobile: +65 9230 9235
Email: loweom@scei.a-star.edu.sg 

Ms Kelly Ingham
Vice President of Marketing
Cima NanoTech Pte Ltd 
DID: +65 6570 2018
Mobile: +65 97291434
Email: kingham@Cimananotech.com 

For technical enquiries, please contact:
Dr Zhang Jie
Senior Scientist III and Manager for SERC Printed Electronics Programme
Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE)
DID: +65 6874 4339
E-mail: zhangj@imre.a-star.edu.sg