Photonic Curing and the Bright Future of Manufacturing
Applied Photon Technology (APT) fuels innovation across a wide range of fields through our production of quality xenon arc lamps. Among these cutting-edge applications of our lamps is photonic curing, a manufacturing process that uses the high-intensity light of xenon arc lamps to rapidly cure and dry thin films or coatings on various substrates.
In this blog post, we’ll explore the critical role of photonic curing in the production of printed electronics and glassy carbon—two highly useful materials with surprising applications in the fields of electrochemistry and biomedicine.
Printed electronics
As their name suggests, printed electronics are technologies that are created using printing techniques that are then used to manufacture circuits, sensors and other electronic devices. Instead of rigid circuit boards or traditional substrates like glass or ceramic, printed electronics are developed from materials such as paper or plastic, which are flexible enough to undergo inkjet or screen printing. The result is a class of electronics that are at once lightweight, versatile, and cost-effective—qualities that open t up a wide range of applications, including wearable technologies and smart packaging. Additionally, printed electronics can be installed in buildings as a means of leak detection and initiating preventative maintenance.
A crucial step in manufacturing printed electronics, photonic curing is typically employed once conductive inks or other functional materials have already been applied to their flexible substrate. Inks are rapidly cured and solidified using intense pulses of light from a xenon arc lamp, allowing the substrate to maintain its flexibility and dry quickly without the need to expose materials to heat for long periods of time. Although most applications of printed electronics are still being developed and prototyped, this field is gaining plenty of interest and momentum because of its potential to lower production costs throughout the creation of functional, affordable consumer products.
Glassy carbon
Photonic curing also has applications in the creation of a highly useful material called glassy carbon. When exposed to the intense heat of xenon arc lamps, organic compounds undergo a process of thermal decomposition that strips away non-carbon elements, leaving behind a stable, carbon-rich structure with a glassy appearance. In addition to being extremely flexible and versatile, glassy carbon has a high level of electrical conductivity, making it ideal for applications such as electrochemical energy storage, the development of electrochemical sensors and the creation of electrodes.
One fascinating feature of glassy carbon is that it not only conducts electricity but is also biocompatible, meaning it can be safely implanted in the human body as part of a biomedical device. Due to its stability and the biocompatible techniques used to manufacture it, glassy carbon can be used in the creation of dental implants, heart valves and other medical implants that require safe, long-term interactions with biological systems.
APT’s xenon arc lamps provide the essential high-intensity light that is significant to photonic curing, in addition to countless other applications requiring a high level of precision. For more details and specs of our xenon arc lamp offerings, contact us here.