July 22, 2005 – The application team at Creative Materials, Inc., has introduced a family of three materials developed for printing on surfaces used in touch screen manufacturing.

The use of touch screens has become prevalent in a wide variety of electronic applications: public information displays, retail and restaurant systems, customer self-service, control and automation systems, computer based training and assistive technology. As the price for touch screens has steadily dropped over the last decade, touch screens have been more and more commonplace.

Creative Materials’ 118-09A/B-187, 118-09A/B and 118-41 are electrically conductive, modified epoxy systems that stick well to anti-reflective coatings, ITO coated glass and PET. These inks meet stringent requirements for thermal cycling and thermal shock, while maintaining good adhesion.

“As I travel across the country, I am frequently asked about appropriate inks for anti-glare and ITO coated surfaces,” said Joe Morano, application-engineering manager at Creative Materials. “For touch screen applications, I often recommend our 118-09A/B-187, 118-09A/B and 118-41 because of their stability and excellent adhesion. With these choices, the engineer can pick the product that best suits his requirements for pot life and heat cure.”

Creative Materials’ 118-09A/B187 is a two-component, solvent resistant, electrically conductive ink, coating and adhesive. The B-187 cures at the lowest temperature and has a shortened pot life (4 hours). The combination of 118-09A and B-187 curing agent allows for curing at a temperature of 65C. This material is very resistant to scratching and creasing, translating into user benefits such as extended life of the touch screen and prevention of surface-to-surface contact and scuffing.

Creative Materials’ 118-09A/B is similar to the 118-09A/B-187, but has a longer pot life (4 days) at a slight adhesion compromise to anti-reflective coatings. Other applications include, but are not limited to: EMI/RFI shielding of polyimide flexible circuits, polymer thick film circuitry, membrane switches and bus bars on Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) sputtered surfaces.

CMI’s 118-41 is a one component version of the above. Because of its relatively high cure temperature, it can only be used where the substrate can be subjected to the cure temperature. This product features excellent adhesion to glass, polycarbonate, Kapton, and a variety of other substrates, and is very resistant to scratching and creasing.