South Korea Printed Electronics Industry: South Korea’s Emergence as a Global Leader in Printed Electronics

South Korea Printed Electronics Industry: South Korea’s Emergence as a Global Leader in Printed Electronics

South Korea Printed Electronics Industry

South Korea has rapidly emerged as a global leader in printed electronics over the past decade. Printed electronics is a new technology that involves printing electronic devices directly onto thin, flexible substrates like plastics and papers using various printing methods. This provides significant advantages over traditional electronics manufacturing by enabling electronic devices to be produced at lower cost, on flexible and lightweight substrates, and at large scales using roll-to-roll or reel-to-reel processing methods.

The South Korean government identified South Korea Printed Electronics as a strategic emerging industry over 10 years ago and provided substantial support through research funding and industry promotions. This helped Korean companies gain leadership in key printed electronics technologies and applications. Today, several South Korean companies lead the world in manufacturing equipment, materials, and devices for printed electronics.

Printed Sensor Applications Driving Early Adoption

One of the early application areas driving the growth of printed electronics in South Korea has been printed sensors. Companies like Kolon Industries and Hydis Technologies commercialized large-area printed sensor films and touch panels utilizing printed carbon nanotubes and silver nanowires on plastic substrates as early as 2010. These found applications in fingerprint sensors for mobile devices, healthcare monitoring patches, smart packaging labels with freshness indicators, and other Internet of Things (IoT) devices.

Leadership in South Korea Printed Electronics Industry

South Korea established a strong foundation in printing press and display manufacturing capabilities which helped transfer relevant technologies to printed electronics. Companies like SAMSUNG, LG, and others invested heavily in developing proprietary printing technologies optimized for electronics applications. Key techniques South Korean companies pioneered include gravure printing, inkjet printing using silver nanoparticle inks, and high-resolution screening printing methods. Equipment makers like Toppan, Illcus, and Avoco introduced some of the first mass-production printers tailored for printed electronics.

Flexibility is Key

The ability to produce electronics on thin, flexible plastic films allows for new form factors and applications not possible with conventional rigid electronics. South Korean companies like Hydis, LG, and Kolon recognized this early on and focused on flexible display prototypes. Hydis used their printing expertise to mass-produce the world's first printed flexible AMOLED displays for smartphones as early as 2013. Now cutting-edge examples include rollable and foldable displays which allow mobile devices to transform sizes. Flexible plastic substrates also enable novel wearables, smart labels, and medical skin-mount patches.

Growth of Material Supply Chains 

A thriving supply chain for the specialized materials needed in printed electronics is crucial for continued industry growth. South Korean chemical giants like LG Chem and Samsung SDI invested in developing new conductive inks, substrates, polymers and other functional materials compatible with high-volume printing processes. Several startups also emerged focused on developing next-generation materials. With the strong materials supply chain in place, manufacturers can reliably source all the inputs required within Korea to produce finished printed electronic devices and components.

Government Policy Driving Commercialization 

Strategic government support has been instrumental in South Korea's success with printed electronics. The Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) funded numerous R&D initiatives and large demonstration projects involving academic and industry collaborations over the past 15 years. Key national R&D programs targeted areas like printed sensors, displays, batteries and other emerging applications. Financial incentives were also provided for companies to establish commercial production lines. MSIT and local governments actively promoted the adoption of printed electronics in applications like smart cities, connected healthcare, and logistics. Overall, coherent long-term policy direction provided a framework enabling Korean companies to rapidly transition printed electronics from labs to real-world applications.

Continued Leadership Across Applications

South Korea is continuing to expand dominance into new printed electronics domains. Battery giants like LG Chem are applying printing techniques to produce flexible, lightweight lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles and consumer electronics. In healthcare, companies like PhiloHealth focus on developing printed skin patches and bandages integrated with sensors and electronics for remote patient monitoring.

Overall, printed photovoltaic cells by Hyundai and Kolon could enable new types of solar energy harvesting surfaces. With ongoing R&D investments and support initiatives, South Korea aims to maintain its position as the global innovation hub for printed electronics across various industries in the years ahead.

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