High deposition temperatures meant ITO coatings were once exclusively developed for and used on glass. Today, ITO Coatings can offer a full range of ITO coated plastic supplies.
The Evolution of ITO Coatings
The continuing, rapid evolution of consumer electronics requires industrial designers and manufacturers to continually develop new ways to improve their devices’ performance while at the same time making them lighter, thinner and more cost effective.
Within optical display industries, one of the most popular and most rapidly growing approaches to this trend is to coat polymer display substrates with a transparent conductive material – Indium Tin Oxide.
Both transparent and conductive, Indium Tin Oxide is deposited onto display substrates to amplify their conductivity while maintaining their optical clarity. Application of clear conductive coatings is, of course, a must for a wide range of applications including, for instance, touch screen and RFI/EMI shielded displays.
As it was, ITO coatings were initially developed and used principally for glass applications due to ITO deposition requiring temperatures in excess of 190° C (374° F) to allow for good optical clarity and low sheet resistances.
ITO Coated Plastic
Combining years of experience, research and development with state-of-the-art technology, Diamond Coatings are now able to produce ITO coatings on plastic substrates using a low-temperature vacuum deposition process.
Optically clear and highly conductive, our Diamox ITO and Index-Matched Diamox+ ITO coatings are available for deposition onto acrylic, polycarbonate & polyester as well as, of course, glass substrates.
What’s more, our flexible substrate handling system enables us to coat flat, shaped and varying injection moulded parts. This, of course, allows for use of ITO coatings in an extensive range of applications previously impossible owing to substrate limitations.
Applications of ITO Coated Plastic
Offering excellent RFI/EMI shielding effectiveness, peak light transmission rates and both temperature and impact resistance, ITO plastic is suitable for a wide range of applications including, for instance:
- EMI (Electromagnetic Interference) & RFI (Radio-Frequency) Shielding
- Resistive & Capacitive Touch Panels
- Heated Optically Clear Display Filters
- Electrostatic Dissipation
- Photovoltaic Cells and More
Worldwide industries benefitting from the introduction of ITO coated plastic include, among many others:
- Automotive, Aerospace & Space
- Medical, Imaging & Microscopy
- Research & Development
- Military & Defence
- Consumer Electronics (i.e. Smart Phones, Tablets, etc.), Entertainment and Many More
To learn more about ITO plastic and/or discuss your specific application’s requirements, please do not hesitate to call us on +44 (0) 121 550 9430 or (Local Rate) +44 (0) 8451 360 603; email us at: enquiries@diamondcoatings.co.uk or get in touch using our online contact form today.
