Electronics, auto sectors spark adoption of new conductive materials

Increasing demand for high-efficiency electronics and components such as electrical circuits is sparking innovation in the electrically conductive materials industry, according to recent analysis released by researchers Frost & Sullivan.

Growth opportunities for conductive materials. Source: Frost & Sullivan

The demand for materials such as conductive polymers, conjugated polymers, quantum dots, meta-materials, conductive hydrogels, and shape memory alloys is expected to increase in the next five years. Extensive miniaturization efforts and anticipated electric vehicle penetration will result in the consumer electronics and automotive sectors securing the highest adoption potential for electrically conductive materials.

“Enhanced material properties such as thermal management improved electrical conductivity, and better mechanical properties will result in significant operational efficiency upgrades,” says Aarthi Janakiraman, TechVision research manager at Frost & Sullivan. “The development of nanomaterials for manufacturing electrically conductive materials will open up new avenues for adoption. This will improve the application scope by addressing the key consumer demand for compact and energy-efficient devices.”

Janakiraman added: “Effective mergers and acquisition (M&A) can significantly improve geographic reach and help create techno-commercial synergies, which is critical for long-term sustenance by catering to a broad customer group. Additionally, collaborations with electrically conductive material manufacturers can help product developers attain a unique market position as, in this case, know-how and a large-scale production facility for nanomaterials can ensure efficient pricing.”

To tap into growth opportunities exposed by conductive materials, Frost & Sullivan suggests that market participants can focus on:

• Collaborating with material developers to improve cost performance.
• Adopting electrically conductive materials such as graphene, quantum dots, and conductive polymers to improve electrical performance and meet the demand for new capabilities.
• Using electrically conductive materials such as poly (3, 4-ethylenedioxythiophene) and polyimide conductive polymers to noticeably increase the process’s energy efficiency.