When circuits are printed, labels can talk ‐ New nanomaterials enable low cost flexible electronics

Abstract

Electronics and printing are two very powerful technologies that we encounter many times on a daily basis. Both technologies are very efficient and optimized for their purpose but have distinctive limitations. Printed information is unbeatable when it comes to production efficiency and cost, but once the information has been printed it cannot be changed. Electronics on the other hand is very powerful in the handling of changing information, but the associated costs of the electronics make it often too expensive for the integration into simple day‐to‐day products. If the advantages of printing and electronics are successfully combined, a new technological field with a potential market size of several billion euros will be created. In this article, the basic principles of printing and electronics are explained and ways for the realization of electronics by printing are outlined. A short overview will be given on the material classes which are currently investigated for use in printed circuits.