Session 17: Substrates

Multi-Material Ribbon Ceramic Supply Chain to Product Application Roadmap for FHE
Thursday, February 15, 2018
11:20 AM - 11:40 AM

ENrG Incorporated, in 2015, and in collaboration with Corning Incorporated initiated a roll-to-roll (R2R) flexible ceramic development for its Zirconia Ribbon Ceramic product to address a variety of needs in Flexible Hybrid electronic (FHE) market applications. Flexible electronics require significant reductions in thickness and volume over current substrate materials, increased flexibility over smaller diameter rolls, and better durability and reliability for improved lifetimes under extreme conditions during manufacturing, and in operation. The first material available was Zirconia Ribbon Ceramic (ZRC). ZRC is a highly flexible thin ceramic and proves to be an ultra-barrier for protecting moisture and air sensitive films, yet offers integration design opportunities as a support or integrated packaging material for flexible circuit devices. ENrG, collaborating with ITN Energy Systems, proved high energy density, ultrathin solid-state lithium batteries were feasible. As such, the combination of ENrG’s ZRC and ITN’s SSLB technology could indeed support a portfolio of battery capacities without many design or process modifications. ZRC is both the support for the battery, and the outer package material, eliminating the need for other packaging, such as a coin cell, or pouch. Zirconia Ribbon Ceramic would not have occurred without the collaboration of Corning and ENrG. Now a second material, Alumina Ribbon Ceramic is available for sampling within targeted FHE market applications. This presentation describes multi-material Ribbon Ceramics now available, along with a supply chain to product application roadmap within FHE. Applications addressed in this presentation across all materials will include solid-state batteries, SOFCs, LEDs, OLEDs, sensors, heater circuits, and more. The author acknowledges cutting edge collaboration with the Corning Team, collaboration with ITN Energy Systems, and the funded support of the FlexTech Alliance enabling ENrG to deliver thinner ZRC, with laser cut features, and demonstrate product applications of solid-state batteries and photovoltaic applications.