Material used to print electronic conductors
Nano Dimension, a leading printing electronics company in the area of 3D printing (TASE: NNDM, OTCQX: NNDMY), announced today that Nano Dimension Technologies, a fully owned subsidiary of Nano Dimension, has filed a patent application with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for a proprietary copper ink that is used in the printing of electronic conductors.
The copper nanoparticle-based ink provides improved oxidation resistance, resulting in an innovative breakthrough that offers the ability to print copper with industrial 3D digital printers.
Copper is a highly electrically conductive metal, and its low price gives it a significant advantage in the market when compared to silver. However, copper nanoparticles rapidly oxidize upon contact with air, which impairs the electrical conductivity.
The patent application that the Company has filed presents innovative approaches to overcome the problem of copper nanoparticle oxidation. Overcoming this challenge introduces an effective and less costly method for industrial additive manufacturing of printed electronics by 3D printing.
Amit Dror, CEO of Nano Dimension, commented: "Our conversations with hundreds of companies across different industrial sectors indicate a strong demand for our 3D printed electronics technology. The demand is not limited to prototyping, but also includes industrial scale manufacturing applications.
The current global PCB market is estimated to be larger than USD 70 billion and is expected to reach about USD 100 billion in the coming years. In accordance with our vision that innovative materials are key to advancing additive manufacturing, Nano Dimension engages in research and development to widen the use-cases of its innovative 3D printed electronics technology. A high-performance copper nanoparticle ink presents an opportunity to significantly impact this huge market."
