NanoMarkets releases report on transparent conductor materials

Manufacturers of transparent conductors have good reason to view the emerging OLED industry as a viable business opportunity, according to a new report from industry firm NanoMarkets.

The firm claims that OLED displays and lighting will consume almost US$500 million worth of transparent conductors in 2016. Furthermore, manufacturers of transparent conductor alternatives will have an opportunity to take market share from indium tin oxide (ITO) as pricing pressures force OLED-based device manufacturers to seek less costly options.

Manufacturers of conductive polymers and of non-ITO transparent conductive oxides will both benefit from the rise of the OLED industry. Tin oxide and zinc oxide may be the first choices for ITO replacement because the deposition processes used with them are familiar to OLED makers. By 2016, it is expected that alternative TCOs will account for 21% by volume of electrode materials used by OLEDs.