Canatu Launches CNB Conductive Films

HELSINKI /PRNewswire/ -- During FPD International (23–25 October in Tokyo, Japan), Canatu will be launching its new Generation 5 product family of CNB transparent conductive films for touch sensors, paving the way for high-contrast touch displays and revolutionary printed, flexible, foldable, 3D-shaped touch-enabled electronics products. Canatu's high-quality CNB films serve touch module and display companies in the rapidly-expanding markets of mobile phones, tablets, cameras, wearable consumer devices, white goods, home appliances and automotive.

Due to record-breaking stretchability and flexibility down to 1 mm bending radius, CNB films give consumer electronics companies long-awaited design freedom. With ultra-low reflections and virtually zero haze, the film improves contrast of flat and flexible touch displays and enhances outdoor readability. High-contrast further enables the use of lower backlight power to increase battery life by up to 20%. Canatu's Generation 5 CNB films have the highest transmission of any carbon nanomaterials, with 96% transmission at 150 ohms/square sheet resistivity, and almost perfect color neutrality. Therefore, CNB films result in touch displays with crisp images, vivid colors, and nonvisible touch sensor patterns. Canatu recommends laser ablation for fine patterning and silver traces, enabling fast turnaround in product development and reducing design and investment costs. CNB films are green carbon technology, not using toxic wet chemistry, and pass all consumer electronics environmental tests.

CNB film is based on Carbon NanoBud material and on Direct Dry Printing (DDP), Canatu's patented method for manufacturing transparent conductive CNB films directly from carbon gases. CNB films are produced on substrates in sheets or roll-to-roll forms in one single process step.

"With the launch of our Generation 5 CNB films, we are now entering the touch market. Electronics hardware companies and brand names are seeking ways to differentiate products, reduce production costs, and increase product performance. Existing materials such as silicon, metals, and metal oxides are expensive, not flexible, stretchable, or transparent, and require complex and bulky support structures. Moreover, these traditional technologies are reaching their performance limits," says Risto Vuohelainen, CEO of Canatu.

Erkki Soininen, Vice President of Marketing and Sales at Canatu, says: "We have now ramped up production in Helsinki, Finland, and are taking orders for CNB films and sensors for high-quality, flexible, 3D-shaped, and flat projected capacitive touch applications. We also have numerous customer projects underway, and our technology is being evaluated by over 40 companies worldwide. Our high-volume CNB film manufacturing plant is planned to open in 2014."

See more on Generation 5 online.

About Canatu
Canatu is a leading developer and manufacturer of transparent conductive films and touch sensors for an entirely new class of touch applications. Canatu's transparent conductive films and touch sensors are based on a new type of carbon nanomaterial (Carbon NanoBud), and a new single-step manufacturing process, combining aerosol synthesis of CNB material and roll-to-roll deposition by Direct Dry Printing. Canatu offers consumer electronics companies increasing design freedom with its innovative patents.