Advanced Materials

The electric vehicle (EV) market experienced another exciting year of growth in 2023. Following a 62% increase in electric car sales in 2022 compared to 2021, IDTechEx predicts a 16% increase in global sales for 2023. However, growth was somewhat constrained during the year due to the performance of plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) in Europe, particularly in the first half of 2023, partly attributed to subsidy reductions in Germany. Nevertheless, many agree that EVs represent the future of the automotive industry, particularly for passenger cars.

Bipolar plates are crucial components in proton exchange fuel cells, representing a substantial portion of the value of the fuel cell stack. IDTechEx predicts that their market value will surpass US$2.5 billion by 2034. The choice between metal and graphite materials for bipolar plates is a significant consideration, with each option having distinct advantages depending on the specific application.

Sensors are vital in modern life. They measure a vast quantity of metrics and parameters, acting as the interface between the physical and digital worlds. Printed sensors can be produced in large areas on flexible substrates, reducing costs and unlocking new market opportunities. The new IDTechEx report, "Printed and Flexible Sensors 2024-2034: Technologies, Players, Markets", breaks down key trends by technology approach - highlighting both opportunities and challenges for the industry forecast to reach US$960 million by 2034.

IDTechEx have released a brand new episode of the 'Tomorrow's Tech by IDTechEx' podcast, 'EV Charging 101: How Can We Take the Guesswork Out of Driving Electric?'. Host Dr Tess Skyrme and industry expert Shazan Siddiqi will be discussing the up-and-coming trends in the EV Charging landscape.

Copper is a critical material in the manufacturing of all vehicles, regardless of whether they are powered by gas, diesel, electricity, hydrogen, or even liquid natural gas (LNG). The demand for copper from the automotive industry was just over 3MT (1MT = 1 billion kilograms) in 2023 but is set to increase to 5MT in 2034.

Thursday 14 March 2024 - Exploring Antenna Packaging Technologies: From 5G mmWave to 6G; An overview of antenna packaging technologies for high frequency telecommunication; Antenna packaging strategies for mmWave; Antenna packaging strategies for 6G (beyond 100 GHz)

Materials informatics represents the data revolution's impact on materials R&D. Data-centric approaches, including AI and machine learning, are transforming the way materials scientists and engineers work, getting materials to market faster and driving development in new directions. A range of strategic approaches have emerged, with leading players and commercialized materials developed via data-driven methods emerging.

As the world awaits the full take-off of the next generation of telecommunication technologies, 5G, important stakeholders are preparing for the future of future telecommunications - 6G. This may seem premature, given that deployment of 5G infrastructure and base stations are not nearly at their peak yet.

Thursday 21 March 2024 - Materials Informatics: The Data Revolution and AI Boom come to Materials R&D - The latest commercial developments in the field, including the impact of new industry interest in the age of AI; Assessment of the different strategic approaches being adopted; The key technology pillars required for a MI approach; Industry pain points; Application case studies

The production of green hydrogen continues to be the focus of many governmental and corporate decarbonization strategies. The electrolyzer is a key technology that enables green hydrogen production by splitting water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen using renewable electricity. Many focus on the need for large-scale green hydrogen plants as well as electrolyzer manufacturing facilities.