The PRISTINE business innovation project focuses on the enhancement of the production process to enable larger scale manufacture of silver nanowires to supply large scale application areas including IoT, smart packaging, printed lighting, touch panels, photovoltaics and heating
The project objectives are to: (i). Prepare robust business case for commercialisation of PRISTINE technology. (ii) Develop Sales & Marketing strategy in order to reach untapped markets and new customers outside the touch panel markets. (iii) Obtain further investment (Phase II funding or private investment) to develop product performance to levels required by industry (i.e. lower sheet resistance, higher light transmission, lower haze and lower costs). (iv) Grow the application areas & customer base significantly increasing revenues. (v) Investigate options to optimise synthesis reaction and yield using real-time monitoring and post synthesis purification methods using cross flow filtration techniques.(vi) Develop future in-line quality control procedures specifically for production of a 20-40nm product.
In this project a number of issues are being addressed which are important for societal issues including energy efficiency and the Internet of Things. A major opportunity has been identified in IoT where silver nanowires can be used as part of a low cost system to provide connectivity to everyday items. This connectivity can be used, for example, to provide information to consumers or to provide product authentication, in the battle against counterfeit goods. Silver nanowires can also be used in low cost, energy efficient printed lighting, as well as more energy efficient photovoltaics and displays. More recently, energy efficient, room heating systems are being investigated.
