News from Eastman Kodak Company

(ROCHESTER, NY, August 10, 2011) -- Smart cards, e-readers, touch panels and OLED lighting have long relied on Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) coatings to create conductive, highly transparent surfaces- – although this has largely been due to the absence of a suitable substitute. Now there is a broad spectrum of high quality, low-cost alternatives – a family of PET films made by Eastman Kodak Company with over 10 years of experience coating PEDOT/PSS as an antistat. The new formulations of Kodak HCF-225, 150 and 700 Film Bases – coupled with HCF-350 film already on the market – feature comparable electrical resistivity, transmittance, and environmental stability to ITO. More importantly, these films can be scaled up for large area applications without a change in the resulting conductivity levels or chemical definitions. Some of the properties and novel applications of these films will be discussed by Debasis Majumdar, a Kodak materials scientist, during a keynote address at the FlexTech Alliance Workshop, August 18th in San Jose, CA. Kodak also has begun offering samples of its HCF Film Bases in anticipation of demand for an alternative to ITO electrodes, making use of its extensive innovation and experience in using antistat to produce films for the motion picture industry. -more- “This family of highly-conductive films is being considered for a variety of industrial applications, particularly where stable, chemically well-defined, ultra-smooth platform electrodes are required – such as touch screen display panels, cell phone displays, smart cards and other electronic devices,” said Thomas Brennan, Product Line Manager, Aerial & Industrial Markets, Eastman Kodak Company. Right now, several companies are utilizing the Kodak films in a variety of functional prototype devices, and the results in those areas have been “very promising,” Brennan said. Philadelphia, PA-based NTERA, Inc. is currently testing Kodak HCF films for use in Smart Cards, Smart Packaging, and Smart Objects. A leading developer of advanced, fully printable electrochromic materials for a range of electronic display and color change applications, NTERA is using the films for printing over a wide range of substrates. “For optimal manufacturing, NTERA requires a transparent conductive substrate capable of dealing with manufacturing requirements including limited shrinkage at 130°C – the drying temperature for graphic displays,” said Dr. Alain Briancon, NTERA Chief Technology Officer. "NTERA is pleased with the performance. Kodak HCF films provide a low cost solution for NTERA manufacturing that does not compromise on visual quality or electrical performance," Dr. Briancon said. Among the features of the expanded line of HCF films: • Surface resistivity ranging from 150 ohms/sq to 700 ohms/sq • Transmittance range of 88% to 91% • Product width of 20 inches to 56 inches • Product length from 1,500 feet to 3,000 feet • Environmental stability for 235 ohms/sq material - 150° C (300°F), 1 hr <2% resistivity change - 60° C, 90% rh for 100 hours <5% Resistivity change - 60° C, 90% rh for 240 hours <10% Resistivity change Brennan said Kodak’s entrance into the market for alternative transparent film conductors is particularly timely, given the touch-screen industry’s shift into flexible structures. “ITO is a depleting resource and the cost is skyrocketing,” Brennan said. “The low cost, high performance and processing convenience of our transparent conducting films suggests they may be a viable alternative for a variety of applications looking for a competitive technology to ITO.” For information on the Kodak portfolio of HCF Films, call Thomas Brennan at 585.724.7902.