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MaDriX Sets New Standards for the PE Industry

By David Savastano

While the field of printed electronics (PE) has much potential, there are also challenges to be met. In order to reach its potential, printed electronics will need to be produced in roll-to-roll processes. That requires that new materials be developed and standards created.

With an eye toward this need, the MaDriX project was formed in Germany.Funded by the BMBF (Federal Ministry of Education and Research), MaDriX brings together PE manufacturer PolyIC, chemical manufacturers BASF, Evonik Industries and ELANTAS Beck, and Siemens, which is providing the inspection systems. These companies are working together to develop a uniform understanding about the requirements of the new materials required by PE.

Through MaDriX, material parameters will be determined and an unvarying test environment for new materials introduced. By doing so, companies can develop new materials quickly and more efficiently. By standardizing test conditions facilitates using a statistical measurement system developed by Jacobs University Bremen and Siemens, companies can compare results.

PolyIC leads the consortium engaged in the three-year joint project. The total investment amounts to approximately €15 million, with the BMBF contributing approximately €8 million.

“The participating partners PolyIC, BASF, Evonik Industries, ELANTAS Beck and Siemens have thus reached an important interim goal,” said project coordinator Dr Jasmin Wörle of PolyIC. “Reproducible components that have been produced on the basis of a state-of-the-art system, in the same quality and performance for all project partners at different sites – that is an innovation in this young industry.”

Wolfgang Mildner, chairman of the Organic Electronics Association (OE-A) and managing director of PolyIC GmbH & Co. KG, anticipates the market for organic and printed electronics will grow to become a multi-billion business over the next ten years.

“The MaDriX project was created to realize the next generation of materials for faster and more complex circuits,” Mildner added. “This project is a collaboration of companies with various competencies such as material development, production and process competencies as well as a company working on characterization systems.”

Uniform system to plug in components.

Dr. Heiko Thiem, who heads the MaDriX-project for Evonik at Creavis Technologies & Innovation, in the Science-to-Business Center Nanotronics led by Dr. Ralf Anselmann, said that Evonik always seeks attractive partners when it forms consortiums, and as an industry leader, PolyIC is ideal.

“PolyIC is one of the leading companies in the field of printed electronics,” Thiem said. “To develop solutions together with such a partner gives the whole project more speed and reduces development cycles drastically. To be together with other material suppliers gives the whole technology more alternatives for the solutions. Since all ‘material partners’ develop different things, the ministry gains a lot, because all major activities in the field are under one roof and are easier to manage.”

There are plenty of ways that the MaDriX project will ultimately benefit PE.

“In this project, new materials are developed, but also new methods for characterization and measurement of these materials,” Mildner noted. “It is one of our goals to use these methods in the future for a unified and standardized development.”

Thiem said that by defining the first standard in this field, it is hoped that other players in the field will be convinced to use this approach, as it is difficult to measure the same mobility values in two different labs.

“These specifications for the process can speed up the transfer from lab to fab,” Thiem added.

Thiem noted that the MaDriX will allow its member companies to collaborate closely on projects throughout the PE supply chain.

“With our capabilities, we are able to offer customers like PolyIC printable semiconductors and dielectrics for the growing market of printed electronics,” Thiem said. “At our site in Marl, we are able to synthesize and characterize the materials and enable a fast transfer to customers. With the MaDriX consortium, this development speeds up.”

“Today, we are using materials that are already available in appropriate quantities such as P3HT for the production of first products,” Mildner added. “It is our goal to join our competencies with our material suppliers to jointly develop material for next generation products.”

System for statistical characterization and measurement of new materials.

Having a consistent standard in place is necessary for companies to work together on new products. All in all, the MaDriX project will be a good starting point in ensuring the growth of PE in the coming years.

“Printed electronics will be the future of the semiconductor industry,” Anselmann said. “It is one of the most attractive markets in the near future. We have to start development now.”

“PolyIC sees an enormous potential and various possibilities in the printed electronics industry,” Mildner concluded. “It is essential to move from the development phase into the phase of ‘going to market’ and thus gain maturity in this young industry.”