GLEN ALLEN, VA -- According to a report from industry analyst firm NanoMarkets, conductive coatings (TCs) based on carbon nanotubes (CNTs) will generate almost $300 million in revenues by 2020, rising to more than $0.5 billion by 2022. However, while suppliers of CNT TCs are currently focusing on the opportunities in touch panels, a bigger opportunity for these materials will be found in thin-film photovoltaics (TFPV) and anti-static coatings.
About the Report
This report provides an in-depth analysis of the prospects for CNTs in the transparent conductor market. It shows how these materials currently compare with the main TC alternatives and how this is likely to change in the future. It also examines how CNT-based materials fit into requirements for TCs in the LCD, OLED display and lighting, e-paper, TFPV, OPV/DSC anti-statics and EMI shielding sectors.
In addition, this report includes a detailed eight-year forecasts of CNT-based materials in the TC space, with breakouts by application and performance type. These forecasts are presented both in square meters of coating and by market value. Finally, the report assesses the changing CNT TC supply chain, profiling both the primary suppliers of the TC material and CNT firms who have targeted the TC space.
Some of the companies discussed in this report include: Brewer Science, CNTouch, Corning, Dow, Foxconn, Huawei, Intel, iTouchWorks, LG, Linde, Mitsui, Nagase America, Samsung, Sang Bo, Sony, TECO, Top Nanosys, Toray, Unidym and Vitsumo.
From the report
NanoMarkets expects CNT TCs to continue their penetration of the touch-screen sensor market. CNT TCs have considerably lower patterning and deposition costs than ITO, so even if using CNT TCs lead to no substantial reduction in materials costs, touch screen firms may still switch to CNT TCs from ITO. The business case for CNTs has been enhanced further by the shift to ProCap touch technology since ProCap sensors require a high degree of patterning. Meanwhile, the new generation of low-performance CNT TCs may find their way into analog resistive touch panels, because of their high resiliency. Currently, a major drawback of analog-resistive touch screens that currently use ITO is that they tend to wear out after a certain number of touches.
Despite today's focus of CNT TC makers on the touch market, NanoMarkets believes this market is limited and that gesture recognition will gradually take the place of touch. The report claims that as the touch market becomes saturated, the best prospects for CNT TC sales will be for TFPV electrodes and for anti-statics. With regard to the former, CIGS makers are seen as being the most receptive to using CNT TCs. The report also speculates that CNT TCs may find a role in opaque touch surfaces in automobiles and appliances.
Finally, NanoMarkets believes that China is becoming the dominant consumer of TCs as the solar, OLED, touch-screen sensors and display industries increasingly shift to Mainland China. Given the recent success of several Chinese makers of non-ITO TCs, it is also quite likely that China will play a key role in the alternative TC business – including the supply of CNT TCs.
Additional information about the report titled, "Markets for Carbon Nanotubes as Transparent Conductors" can be found at:
http://nanomarkets.net/market_reports/report/markets-for-carbon-nanotubes-as-transparent-conductors
For more info, visit http://www.nanomarkets.net