Polymertronics, a nanotechnology start-up in Banbury, is developing a technique which will allow digital inkjet printing and instant curing of flexible electronic components.

Polymertronics has a patent pending on a technique which combines organic semiconductor fabrication technology with ultra-violet (UV) curing techniques, to cure and fix the electronics onto media that can include vinyl, plastics, glass and metal.

One application is fabricating embedded organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) and touch sensitive panels on advertisement posters.

According to Stephen Clemmet, founder & MD of Polymertronics: “Given that there are more than 10,000 commercial printers worldwide, which produce over 780 million square metres of advertising posters using the UV curing process every year, there is a huge potential market where our products can easily be retro-fitted and used.”

OLEDs can then be printed using flatbed or roll-to-roll printer platforms and powered by a low voltage battery source.

Polymertronics’ products are designed to be bolted onto existing printing infrastructure, making them more cost effective, said Clemmet.

The company, which has secured £225,000 of new investment, is at the proof of principle stage and will develop semiconductors in collaboration with the University of Reading.

“Once we have working products, then we’ll be looking for further significant investment to get them to market during 2009,” said Clemmet.