Plextronics Offers Solar Cell Inks for Research

PITTSBURGH, Pa. and DENVER, Colo.—Plextronics, Inc. announced the introduction of its ink systems for organic solar cell fabrication at the IDTechEx PV Beyond Conventional Silicon Conference in Denver, Colorado. Developed around its record-setting photovoltaic technology, the company is releasing two versions of its Plexcore® PV ink system for use in research applications. The company is already scheduled to fulfill multiple orders for Plexcore® PV ink by the end of June.

Troy Hammond, Plextronics’ vice president of products and a presenter at the conference, said that this is the first time the company has offered its organic photovoltaic (PV) product for sale.

“We began our solar cell development program about two years ago, and we are proud to introduce these initial ink systems as early results of our efforts,” Hammond said. “What makes this particularly exciting is that these initial products will allow us to work closely with researchers and commercial partners around the world to push development of organic photovoltaics even further.”

Plexcore® PV is a ready-to-use ink system that consistently delivers world-class performance for printed solar power. The system consists of two inks custom-designed to work together: a p/n photoactive ink and a hole transport ink that are both solution-processable. Next generations of Plexcore® PV ink systems will be designed for printing in pilot and early manufacturing lines, enabling further advances toward commercial production.

About Plextronics

Plextronics, Inc. is an international technology company that specializes in printed solar, lighting and other organic electronics. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA, the company’s focus is on organic solar cell and organic light emitting diodes (OLED), specifically the conductive inks and process technologies that enable those and other similar applications.

Particularly relevant as the worldwide search for renewable energy becomes more urgent, the company’s technology will enable the mass production of printed devices, such as low-cost organic solar cells and high-efficiency lighting.

To recognize the potential impact of Plextronics’ technology, it’s important to first understand the fundamentals of both printed electronics and the marketplace. Printed electronics comprises next-generation light, power and circuitry products, including flexible displays, plastic solar cells and organic RFID tags. The market for printed electronics was approximately $1 billion in 2006 and is expected to exceed $300 billion within 20 years.

With a company vision of enabling 15 billion printed electronic devices by 2015, Plextronics is creating technology capable of commercial-scale manufacturability and performance. The company’s device design, process technology and Plexcore® branded inks enable the formation of active electrical layers - the key drivers of printed electronics.

Plextronics is a privately held company with select partners and strategic corporate and venture investors. Some of the country’s most prominent venture capital firms in the light, power and circuitry markets have invested in the company. Plextronics has also teamed up with multi-national companies in joint development agreements, strategic alliances and research partnerships.

The company was founded in 2002 as a spinout from Carnegie Mellon University, based upon conductive polymer technology developed by Dr. Richard McCullough. Over the past six years, Plextronics’ scientists have refined and further developed this technology to deliver exceptional performance for printed electronics.