According to research by leading business intelligence firm IDTechEx, published as "3D Printed Materials Market 2020-2030 - COVID Edition", the market for 3D printing materials has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, but plenty of market drivers point to a strong future.

IDTechEx have released their latest report on haptics, projecting that the industry will grow from $3.6bn in 2020 to nearly $5bn per year by 2025.

Although the COVID-19 pandemic has interrupted the 3D printing sector and its end users (such as printing bureaus), new directions of travel have nonetheless emerged. Some opportunities have even been directly prompted by the pandemic.

Smart cities are now much more ambitious. That means new materials are their biggest enabler, with information and computer technology dropping to an important support role.

Despite the promise of and the commercial interest in FHE, some technological challenges remain. One of the most important is developing the ability to robustly attach mounted components to flexible substrates, given the substantial difference in mechanical and thermal properties.

IDTechEx have released a brand new report, "Smart Cities Emerging Materials Markets 2021-2041" - a comprehensive analysis of multifunctional smart materials, bioplastics, structural electronics, composites, 3D printing, graphene, 2D and 3D molecules, 5G, 6G, IOT, new recycling.

This article summarizes and highlights some of the critical 5G developments and news in 2020.

While the basic smart city ideas are mainly updates, the materials and devices enabling them are certainly new and they do add remarkable new functions.

A huge market is opening for component and material suppliers in the thermal management arena.

Not a single country or industry has been unaffected by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the impact will be felt for years to come. Despite this, there have still been some notable industrial activity and commercial progression within materials science. IDTechEx provides a round-up and highlights some of these key developments.

Following decades of development, 2021 and 2022 are set to be notable years for the graphene industry, as it finally approaches an inflection point. Some in the graphene sector are now seeing their labors bear fruit in the form of commercial success - but that is not the case for everyone.

Wednesday 9 December 2020 (3 sessions to choose from) - New applications and formulations power this market to over $14 billion in 2041. Find out more in the IDTechEx webinar, "Electrifying Fluoropolymer Opportunities".

A comprehensive study and market assessment of 3D lidar, with a focus on the automotive sector, reveals that while the market for lidar has expanded, the next few years will prove crucial for all involved.

The focus of smart cities has changed. In 2020, smart cities have been pivoting reinvented hardware and associated systems.

Tuesday 8 December 2020 (3 sessions to choose from) - This webinar will provide a detailed assessment and outlook for these advanced materials. The talk will highlight key developments, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, company performances, geographic variations, and application areas.

Graphene materials are progressing through their own hype curve. The commercialization has been making steady progress and IDTechEx expect the graphene market to significantly grow over the next decade.

Thursday 3 December (includes Q&A session) - Printed/flexible electronics is a constantly evolving area with extensive scope for innovation. In this webinar, Dr Matthew Dyson will discuss four technical innovations learned about in 2020.

Printed/flexible electronics is a constantly evolving area with extensive scope for innovation. Here, IDTechEx outlines three of the most exciting technological highlights in the sector.

Fluoropolymers are typically available as liquids and solids, but new fluoroelastomers are getting interest.

A newer approach of serving low power electronics by area more than efficiency is promising.