Québec City, Québec, Canada and Westwood, MA, USA - Brilliant Matters and Nano-C are pleased to announce they signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to pursue the development of advanced materials for high-performance and cost-effective printed organic solar cells and photodetectors. These technologies are part of a new wave of electronic and energy-production devices that are mainly made of plastics and contain no toxic materials or rare earths. As the integration of electronic components in everyday objects is on the rise, these technologies could offer enormous environmental benefits, being far less impactful when produced, and at the end of the product’s life. Both companies have collaborated in the past and offer complementary solutions and technologies that can work together to achieve their cost and performance targets, with Brilliant Matters producing high performance p-type polymers and Nano-C making unique n-type semiconducting carbon materials. When combined, these novel semiconducting materials create a photoactive layer that can convert light into electricity efficiently. And, a key benefit is that unlike commercially available technologies, both semiconductors are deposited simultaneously from a single ink solution and require no further doping. Brilliant Matters’ CEO, Jean-Rémi Pouliot states “we are very excited to be collaborating with Nano-C on next generation products in organic printed electronics. I truly believe with our combined expertise we will be able to make an impact in the industry by introducing higher performing materials at an affordable price.” Nano-C’s Director of Business Development, Kerin Perez Harwood said “a key aspect of the Nano-C business model hinges on strong partnerships with key players in the industry and customers. We believe our partnership with Brilliant Matters will result in advanced materials solutions that address key market and technical needs required to drive organic electronics to mass production.” Brilliant Matters and Nano-C have an aligned vision to create clean technologies at an affordable price. This relationship is the first step the companies make together in their foray to create sustainable electronics, and we hope this agreement will lead to solutions that will benefit the entire printed electronics market. About Nano-C Nano-C is a leading innovator and manufacturer of nanostructured carbon materials, including fullerenes, carbon nanotubes (CNT), as well as their chemical derivatives and formulations. Proprietary materials produced by Nano-C are critical links in the value chain for next-generation electronics, sensors, semiconductor manufacturing, and therapeutics. Nano-C’s advanced materials and molecular platform encompasses a portfolio of unique solutions protected by over 215 global patents spanning methods of manufacturing to end-use applications. Through its patented products and processes, and its distinct competencies in the chemistry of these materials, Nano-C is enabling a revolution in device design, manufacture, and performance, and it is committed to their responsible development and use. For more information on Nano-C, Inc. please visit our website www.nano-c.com, follow us on LinkedIn, or email us at nanocinfo@nano-c.com. About Brilliant Matters Brilliant Matters is an innovator in chemical processes used to create and produce advanced materials for emerging printed electronics technologies. They specialize in organic semiconducting materials, an alternative technology that can be used to create environmentally friendly electronics. Their proprietary process offers the most reliable and scalable way to supply an industry with these materials. Their products offer an alternative solution to existing electronics that can truly be part of a sustainable future. Their materials are high-performing, reliable and scalable, and can be used in a variety of applications, including solar cells, sensors, transistors, and more. They offer performance materials, contract manufacturing services and contract research services for the printed and organic electronics industry. Their outstanding team of material science experts help their partners to overcome barriers and quickly become industry leaders in the world of printed and organic electronics.www.Brilliantmatters.com

The company is decoding performance with sweat-reading biowearables. Digital health startup Epicore Biosystems, makers of noninvasive biowearables, secured $10M in an oversubscribed Series A round. Its microfluidic (aka sweat-analyzing) patch is capable of measuring hydration, stress, and blood glucose levels — attracting a range of industries where performance is everything. A Performance Patch In partnership with PepsiCo’s Gatorade, the company’s Gx Sweat Patch launched in March 2021. The small, sensor-packed sticker is applied to an exerciser’s forearm, providing real-time hydration recommendations via a smartphone app for optimal athletic performance and refueling — a focus area for the beverage market at large. Its FDA-approved Discovery Patch System goes a step further, reading biomarkers in sweat to reveal personalized insights on stress and glucose levels, in addition to hydration needs. Now, this ability to monitor and manage performance is gaining steam beyond athletics. This latest funding round saw participation from Alumni Ventures, Joyance Partners, and, notably, Chevron Technology Ventures, who wrapped up a field study for monitoring heat stress in oilfield workers this past May. Early adopters also include the US Air Force, US Army, and National Institutes of Health, signaling broad applicability in human performance. Sweat is Data The next generation of health wearables is upon us, taking all sorts of form factors — rings, contact lenses, apparel, and rapid development of skin patches. With experts predicting the market for electronic patches to reach $18B by 2027, developers in sweat tech are emerging: Both UCSD and Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology are developing patches that continuously track blood pressure and heart rate while monitoring glucose, caffeine, and alcohol levels. In November 2021, Biolinq secured $100M for its glucose-monitoring skin patch. FLOWBIO, creators of a biowearable patch that detects electrolyte and fluid loss in real-time, is launching a closed beta in 2022. In a Q&A with Fitt Insider, FLOWBIO co-founder Stefan van der Fluit suggests that “sweat is data,” unlocking possibilities in endurance sports and beyond: “We chose sweat as our bodily fluid of choice as sweat glands are nature’s ‘built-in’ needle — and sweat, in layman’s terms, can be seen as a heavily diluted proxy of blood.” Punchline: Starting with pro athletes and the military, Epicore is proving its efficacy for the everyday wearer. As sweat tech improves, the use cases will only multiply. From diabetes care to hydration to metabolic health, the future of wearables is trending toward invisible sensors. More information: https://insider.fitt.co/epicore-biosystems-creators-of-the-gx-sweat-patch-raises-10m/

America’s growing demand for electric vehicles (EVs) has shed light on the significant challenge of sustainably sourcing the battery technology necessary for the broad shift to renewable electricity and away from fossil fuels. In hopes of making batteries that not only perform better than those currently used in EVs but also are made from readily available materials, a group of Drexel University chemical engineers have found a way to introduce sulfur into lithium-ion batteries – with astounding results. With global sales of EVs more than doubling in 2021, prices of battery materials like lithium, nickel, manganese, and cobalt surged and supply chains for these raw materials, most of which are sourced from other countries, became bottlenecked due to the pandemic. This also focused attention on the primary providers of the raw materials: countries like Congo and China; and raised questions about the human and environmental impact of extracting them from the earth. Well before the EV surge and battery material shortage, developing a commercially viable sulfur battery has been the battery industry’s sustainable, high-performing white whale. This is because of sulfur’s natural abundance and chemical structure that would allow it to store more energy. A recent breakthrough by researchers in Drexel’s College of Engineering, published in the journal Communications Chemistry, provides a way to sidestep the obstacles that have subdued Li-S batteries in the past, finally pulling the sought-after technology within commercial reach. Their discovery is a new way of producing and stabilizing a rare form of sulfur that functions in carbonate electrolyte — the energy-transport liquid used in commercial Li-ion batteries. This development would not only make sulfur batteries commercially viable, but they would have three times the capacity of Li-ion batteries and last more than 4,000 recharges – the equivalent of 10 years of use, which is also a substantial improvement. “Sulfur has been highly desirable for use in batteries for a number of years because it is earth-abundant and can be collected in a way that is safe and environmentally friendly, and as we have now demonstrated, it also has the potential to improve the performance of batteries in electric vehicles and mobile devices in a commercially viable way,” said Drexel’s Vibha Kalra, Ph.D., George B. Francis Chair professor in the College’s Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, who led the research. The challenge of introducing sulfur into a lithium battery with a commercially friendly carbonate electrolyte has been an irreversible chemical reaction between intermediate sulfur products, called polysulfides, and the carbonate electrolyte. Because of this adverse reaction, previous attempts to use a sulfur cathode in a battery with a carbonate electrolyte solution resulted in nearly immediate shutdown and a complete failure of the battery after just one cycle. Li-S batteries have already demonstrated exceptional performance in experimental settings using an ether electrolyte — rather than carbonate — because ether does not react with polysulfides. But these batteries would not be commercially viable because the ether electrolyte is highly volatile and has components with a boiling point as low as 42 degrees Celsius, meaning any warming of the battery above room temperature could cause a failure or meltdown. “In the past decade, the majority of Li-S field adopted ether electrolytes to avoid the adverse reactions with carbonate,” Kalra said. “Then over the years, the researchers deep-dived into enhancing performances in ether-based sulfur batteries by mitigating what is known as polysulfide shuttle/diffusion — but the field completely overlooked the fact that the ether electrolyte itself is a problem. In our work, the primary objective was to replace ether with carbonate, but in doing so we also eliminated polysulfides, which also meant no shuttling, so the battery could perform exceptionally well through thousands of cycles.” Previous research by Kalra’s team also approached the problem in this way – producing a carbon nanofiber cathode that slowed the shuttle effect in ether-based Li-S batteries by curtailing the movement of intermediate polysulfides. But to improve the commercial path of the cathodes, the group realized it needed to make them function with a commercially viable electrolyte. “Having a cathode that works with the carbonate electrolyte that they’re already using is the path of least resistance for commercial manufacturers,” Kalra said. “So rather than pushing for the industry adoption of a new electrolyte, our goal was to make a cathode that could work in the pre-existing Li-ion electrolyte system.” So, in hopes of eliminating polysulfide formation to avoid adverse reactions, the team attempted to confine sulfur in the carbon nanofiber cathode substrate using a vapor deposition technique. While this process did not succeed in embedding the sulfur within the nanofiber mesh, it did something extraordinary, which revealed itself when the team began to test the cathode. “As we began the test, it started running beautifully – something we did not expect. In fact, we tested it over and over again – more than 100 times — to ensure we were really seeing what we thought we were seeing,” Kalra said. “The sulfur cathode, which we suspected would cause the reaction to grind to a halt, actually performed amazingly well and it did so again and again without causing shuttling.” Upon further investigation, the team found that during the process of depositing sulfur on the carbon nanofiber surface — changing it from a gas to a solid — it crystallized in an unexpected way, forming a slight variation of the element, called monoclinic gamma-phase sulfur. This chemical phase of sulfur, which is not reactive with the carbonate electrolyte, had previously only been created at high temperatures in labs and has only been observed in nature in the extreme environment of oil wells. “At first, it was hard to believe that this is what we were detecting because in all previous research monoclinic sulfur has been unstable under 95 degrees Celsius,” said Rahul Pai, a doctoral student in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering and coauthor of the research. “In the last century there have only been a handful of studies that produced monoclinic gamma sulfur and it has only been stable for 20-30 minutes at most. But we had created it in a cathode that was undergoing thousands of charge-discharge cycles without diminished performance — and a year later, our examination of it shows that the chemical phase has remained the same.” After more than a year of testing, the sulfur cathode remains stable and, as the team reported, its performance has not degraded in 4,000 charge-discharge cycles, which is equivalent to 10 years of regular use. And, as predicted, the battery’s capacity is more than three-fold that of a Li-ion battery. “While we are still working to understand the exact mechanism behind the creation of this stable monoclinic sulfur at room temperature, this remains an exciting discovery and one that could open a number of doors for developing more sustainable and affordable battery technology,” Kalra said. Replacing the cathode in Li-ion batteries with a sulfur one would alleviate the need for sourcing cobalt, nickel, and manganese. Supplies of these raw materials are limited and not easily extracted without causing health and environmental hazards. Sulfur, on the other hand, is found everywhere in the world and exists in vast quantities in the United States because it is a waste product of petroleum production. Kalra suggests that having a stable sulfur cathode, that functions in carbonate electrolyte, will also allow researchers to move forward in examining replacements for the lithium anode – which could include more earth-abundant options, like sodium. “Getting away from a dependence on lithium and other materials that are expensive and difficult to extract from the earth is a vital step for the development of batteries and expanding our ability to use renewable energy sources,” Kalra said. “Developing a viable Li-S battery opens a number of pathways to replacing these materials.” More information: https://drexel.edu/now/archive/2022/February/lithium-sulfur-cathode-carbonate-electrolyte/

Dr Isaac Rosen, Senior Scientific Researcher at Copprint Contact us info@copprint.com Visit our virtual booth My name is Isaac Rosen, and I lead an R&D team at Copprint where we work on the development of future products as well as solving customer challenges. I am responsible for our activities to create a process for soldering on conductive traces. Electrical component assembly on printed electronics is primarily achieved today with ECAs, a strike difference from the practice in traditional electronics manufacturing where soldering is standard. This difference arises mainly from the difficulties in soldering on printed silver traces. Copprint pastes are copper-based, enabling excellent electrical properties that outperform silver pastes – higher conductivity and lower cost. It is possible to solder on traces formed with Copprint paste using standard off-the-shelf solder pastes. Strong solder bonds are formed with small resistors soldered on FR4, with up to 4 kgf needed to disconnect (via die shear force measurements). Figure 1: Copprint copper paste, PCB with soldered components. Visit our virtual booth. Copprint develops and manufactures conductive copper paste for various applications, including PCB board printing, membrane switches, RFID tags, and PV cells. We have copper pastes suitable for multiple substrates such as FR4, Paper, Glass, PI, PET, and more. Copprints product portfolio can be found here, including links inside for TDS, MSDS, application notes, and how-to videos. Copprint pastes can be used to replace silver pastes (expensive and toxic) as well as to replace polluting etching processes. A key requirement for electronic manufacturing is component attachment to a printed circuit board. So far, when using silver pastes for printed electronics, good solderability with conventional solder pastes was difficult to obtain. The primary reason for the problem is that an IMC layer (Intermetallic Compound) cannot form between Tin, the main component in solder pastes, and silver metal. Therefore, manufacturers needing to attach components refrain from soldering and mainly use silver-based ECAs. Such ECAs are far more expensive than solder pastes (Silver vs. Tin prices) and far less standard in the PCB industries. With Copprint pastes printed on FR4, we identified several compatible solder pastes, enabling the formation of a strong solder bond, with a proper IMC connection between the solder and the copper. The method advised (by solder paste manufacturers) for screening solder pastes was to visually look at wetting of the solder paste on the printed Cu surface after reflowing. The theory was that no wetting or de-wetting is a sign that the solder paste is not compatible. We learned from careful experimentation that wetting is not always the proper indication for compatibility and the potential to form a good soldered bond. In fact, this approach gave many false negatives. A much better approach is to test the actual performance (formation of a strong soldered bond) of different solder pastes by soldering small (1206) chips to screen printed copper traces and measuring the die shear force needed to detach the chip. Figure 2: Video showing applying solder paste, placing components, and soldering on printed copper traces in a reflow oven. Visit our virtual booth. First, Copprint paste is screen printed on the substrate, followed by drying and sintering to obtain a conductive copper pattern (video). Then solder paste is applied with stencil printing, components are placed and soldered by reflow (the process in which the solder paste is heated, melts, and re-solidifies to form the bond) - See figure 2. Finally the soldered bond strength is tested as can be seen in Figure 3. Figure 3: Photo of Die shear force test on 1206 SMD resistor chips soldered with SAC305 KOKI 955LV. Using this approach, we found Compatible solder pastes that work well: form a strong bond that is hard to detach, requiring applying over 3kgf pressure to cause failure and detachment of the soldered chip. Non-compatible solder pastes do not work well: no solder bond is formed, and the chips can be detached with a gentle push. Furthermore, we found that for compatible solder pastes, the failure mode was detachment between the Cu and the substrate, while with non-compatible pastes, the failure mode was between the solder paste and the printed Cu surface. In addition, only with compatible pastes, an IMC layer was formed between the solder and the printed copper layer, which is the fundamental proof of the formation of a solder bond (figure 4). Figure 4: Cross-section of solder bond, 1206 SMD LED soldered with SAC305 on Cu printed on FR4 substrate, micrograph on the right shows the presence of IMC. Visit our virtual booth. The reason only some tested solder pastes were compatible is probably due to the flux system in each paste. Some fluxes work on the surface of copper patterns made with our copper paste, and some do not. As the fluxs formulation in the tested solder pastes are unknown (trade secrets), empirical testing is needed to approve a solder paste as compatible. After establishing a good procedure for identifying compatible solder pastes, we tested a wide range of SAC305 and SnPb solder pastes on FR4, as well as SnBi and SnBiAg solder pastes on PET, resulting in a list of approved solder pastes, which can be supplied on request (info@copprint.com). Die shear forces above 2kgf were obtained with specific pastes from Henkel, Koki, AIM, Shenmao, Balvar Zinn and more. A very interesting and valuable finding is that soldering can be done on the printed copper traces without any post-processing. Even after few weeks of standard storage, a good die sheer force was achieved. PET is an important substrate in printed electronics due to its low price, availability and durability. However, its low melting point does not enable the use of SAC or SnPb solder pastes. Compatible SnBi based solder pastes were identified, enabling a die shear force above 2 kgf on 125 um PET Details and recommended reflow profiles can be supplied on request via info@copprint.com. To conclude, a simple soldering process for reliably connecting components on printed electronics was demonstrated. We expect faster adoption of printed electronics as component placement is more standard than the existing ECA method. This will happen with a transition from silver to copper for printing PCBs made on standard substrates like FR4 and newer substrates like PET.

A new research project is setting out to find a solution to the growing problem of electronic waste by creating the world’s first controlled degradable integrated circuits. Researchers from the University of Glasgow’s James Watt School of Engineering have won a £1.5m grant from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) for the project. Their work could help address the growing problem of toxic waste created during the manufacture and disposal of common electronic items like computers, mobile phones, and fitness trackers. In 2019 alone, consumers threw away more than 53 million tonnes of electronic waste, much of which contain hazardous waste in components like batteries and circuit boards. It is estimated that less than 20% of this is properly recycled and the scale of the problem is growing each year. The Glasgow team will work with a range of industrial and governmental partners to develop high-performance electronic materials which can be safely disposed of at the end of their useful lives. This includes designing electronics that are more easily recycled into new forms or by using components that naturally degrade altogether to form benign by-products. The project, known as Green Energy-Optimised Printed Transient Integrated Circuits, or GEOPIC, builds on existing expertise at the University’s Bendable Electronics and Sensing Technologies (BEST) group. Researchers from the BEST group have already developed numerous new forms of electronics, including bendable and stretchable printed circuits which offer performance similar to that of conventional silicon-based electronics, and wearable systems that can be powered by devices based on human sweat. They have also developed methods to reliably print high-performance circuitry onto flexible surfaces. Over the next three years, the research project will build on that expertise to create silicon nanomembrane-based high-performance flexible and printed integrated circuits on new forms of biodegradable materials. Once the circuits are no longer needed, the silicon can be recycled and the materials will degrade naturally. Professor Ravinder Dahiya, of the James Watt School of Engineering, is the principal investigator of GEOPIC. Professor Dahiya said: “There is an urgent need for action to tackle the problem of electronic waste, without losing the cross-cutting transformative power of electronics. Currently, electronic production processes can produce a significant amount of chemical waste. The devices which are produced by those processes can contain components that are, at best, only partially recyclable. “By setting out to develop new types of electronics which make their eventual disposal an integral part of their production right from the start, we hope that we can find a way to help stem the flood of electronic waste and find commercial applications for the electronics we develop once this initial research phase comes to a close.” Dr. Jeff Kettle, the co-investigator of the project aid, “I’m proud to be working on this project with my colleagues in the BEST group and our partners across the UK. I’m confident that we can find new methods of dealing with this urgent problem. We are delighted by the support of a wide range of project partners allowing us to work with material specialists, electronics manufacturers, environmental scientists, and policymakers, who will provide input as the project progresses.” The GEOPIC partners are ARM Ltd, IQE (Europe) Ltd, the National Physical Laboratory, PragmatIC Printing Ltd, Printed Electronics Ltd, the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency, and Zero Waste Scotland. More information: https://www.gla.ac.uk/news/headline_833936_en.html

Researchers have developed a 46-inch woven display with smart sensors, energy harvesting and storage integrated directly into the fabric. An international team of scientists has produced a fully woven smart textile display that integrates active electronic, sensing, energy, and photonic functions. The functions are embedded directly into the fibers and yarns, which are manufactured using textile-based industrial processes. The researchers, led by the University of Cambridge, say their approach could lead to applications that sound like sci-fi: curtains that are also TVs, energy-harvesting carpets, and interactive, self-powered clothing and fabrics. This is the first time that a scalable large-area complex system has been integrated into textiles using an entirely fiber-based manufacturing approach. Their results are reported in the journal Nature Communications. Despite recent progress in the development of smart textiles, their functionality, dimensions, and shapes are limited by current manufacturing processes. Integrating specialized fibers into textiles through conventional weaving or knitting processes means they could be incorporated into everyday objects, which opens up a huge range of potential applications. However, to date, the manufacturing of these fibers has been size limited, or the technology has not been compatible with textiles and the weaving process. To make the technology compatible with weaving, the researchers coated each fiber component with materials that can withstand enough stretching so they can be used on textile manufacturing equipment. The team also braided some of the fiber-based components to improve their reliability and durability. Finally, they connected multiple fiber components together using conductive adhesives and laser welding techniques. Using these techniques together, they were able to incorporate multiple functionalities into a large piece of woven fabric with standard, scalable textile manufacturing processes. The resulting fabric can operate as a display, monitor various inputs, or store energy for later use. The fabric can detect radiofrequency signals, touch, light, and temperature. It can also be rolled up, and because it’s made using commercial textile manufacturing techniques, large rolls of functional fabric could be made this way. The researchers say their prototype display paves the way to next-generation e-textile applications in sectors such as smart and energy-efficient buildings that can generate and store their own energy, Internet of Things (IoT), distributed sensor networks, and interactive displays that are flexible and wearable when integrated with fabrics. “Our approach is built on the convergence of micro and nanotechnology, advanced displays, sensors, energy, and technical textile manufacturing,” said Professor Jong-min Kim, from Cambridge’s Department of Engineering, who co-led the research with Dr. Luigi Occhipinti and Professor Manish Chhowalla. “This is a step towards the full exploitation of sustainable, convenient e-fibers and e-textiles in daily applications. And it’s only the beginning.” “By integrating fiber-based electronics, photonics, sensing, and energy functionalities, we can achieve a whole new class of smart devices and systems,” said Occhipinti, also from Cambridge’s Department of Engineering. “By unleashing the full potential of textile manufacturing, we could soon see smart and energy-autonomous Internet of Things devices that are seamlessly integrated into everyday objects and many other sector applications.” The researchers are working with European collaborators to make the technology sustainable and useable for everyday objects. They are also working to integrate sustainable materials as fiber components, providing a new class of energy textile systems. Their flexible and functional smart fabric could eventually be made into batteries, supercapacitors, solar panels, and other devices. The research was funded in part by the European Commission and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). More information: https://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/scientists-develop-fully-woven-smart-display

Speaker: Jedrzej Kufel | Company: ARM | Date: 11-12 May 2021 | Full Presentation Conventional silicon technology has embedded at least one integrated circuit into every smart device on Earth. However, it faces key challenges to make everyday objects smarter. Cost is the most important factor but flexibility and conformability are highly desirable. Our approach is to develop integrated circuits using flexible electronic fabrication techniques, thus paving the way towards natively-flexible LSI and VLSI ICs. Jedrzej Kufel Staff Research Engineer @ Arm Bio Dr Jedrzej Kufel is a Staff Research Engineer. He joined Arm in 2014, working in the IoT product team before moving to Research in 2016. His current interests are in the area of low-power integrated circuit design using flexible/printed electronics, validation and test methodologies and circular economy. Jedrzej holds a MEng in Mechatronics and Robotic Systems from University of Liverpool and a PhD from University of Southampton. Join TechBlick on an annual pass to join all live online conference or online version of onsite conference access library of on-demand talks (600 talks + PDFs) portfolio of expert led masterclass year-round platform https://www.techblick.com/ And do NOT miss our flagship event in Berlin on 17-18 OCT 2023 focused on Reshaping the Future of Electronics. This event attracts 550-600 participants from all the world and offers a superb ambience and dynamic exhibition floor. To learn more visit https://www.techblick.com/electronicsreshaped To see feedback about previous event see https://www.techblick.com/events-agenda

- Can They Be Competitive On The Battery Market Within Automotive Applications? Speaker: Ines Miller | Company: P3 | Date: 9-10 Feb 2022 | Full Presentation Increasing battery demand and requirements towards high performance cells are pushing lithium-ion technology to its limits. Recent developments in solid-state technology have led to a high level of media attention, and both start-ups and large cell manufacturers are intensively working on the industrialization of their next-generation technology as major challenge. The competitiveness of currently leading players regarding technology, scalability and costs aspects will be evaluated and discussed in the presentation. Join TechBlick on an annual pass to join all live online conference or online version of onsite conference access library of on-demand talks (600 talks + PDFs) portfolio of expert led masterclass year-round platform https://www.techblick.com/ Our next battery-related event will take place on 15-16 FEB 2023, covering 1) Solid-State Batteries: Innovations, Promising Start-Ups, & Future Roadmap 2) Battery Materials: Next-Generation & Beyond Lithium Ion The speakers include: General Motors, Graphenix Development, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Fraunhofer IKTS, RWTH Aachen University, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories, Meta Materials Inc, Skeleton Technologies, Solid State Battery Inc, Argonne National Laboratories, OneD Battery Sciences, VTT, Leyden Jar Technologies B.V., b-Science, Rho Motion, Wevo-Chemie, LiNA Energy, CNM Technologies, Ionblox, Empa, Zinc8 Energy Solutions, Avicenne Energy, Echiontech, South8 Technologies, Basquevolt, NanoXplore, Chasm, Li Metal, Sila Nanotechnologies, Quantumscape (tentative), Fraunhofer ISI, etc https://www.techblick.com/

SmartNanotubes Technologies, a German startup that has developed the world’s first micro power multi-channel gas detector chip for the mass market, has raised € 2.4 million in its Series A funding round. Lead investors are Cottonwood Technology Fund and duotec GmbH. Game changer in the gas sensor market SmartNanotubes Technologies, based near Dresden, operates on the principle of an electronic nose similar to the array of receptors in the human nose. Current gas sensor arrays are expensive, large in size, and characterized by low sensitivity and high power consumption. The carbon nanotubes chips of SmartNanotubes, however, are highly sensitive, energy-efficient, compact, and low-cost. SmartNanotubes is a game-changer in the gas sensor market as its chips can measure multiple gases while most existing technologies can only detect one gas at a time. Product quality, safety, and security In a team of four people, Dr. Viktor Bezugly and Dr. Birte Sönnichsen co-founded SmartNanotubes in the summer of 2020 after a three-year know-how transfer project at LifeScience Inkubator (LSI). Bezugly started his research on carbon nanotubes at DresdenUniversity of Technology twelve years ago. “I’m delighted to make my research available to the public by setting up this company. As of now, our target markets include product quality in materials, food, and medical applications,’’ said Viktor Bezugly. “Other areas include safety and security in transport, consumer goods, and manufacturing through the early detection and identification of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and hazardous gases. Moreover, SmartNanotubes can control air quality, for example in industrial environments such as cleanrooms.” Multiple product lines and markets In its previous seed round, SmartNanotubes received support from LSI Pre-Seed-FoTechnologiegründerfonds Sachsen (TGFS), TUDAG TU Dresden Aktiengesellschaft, and a private investor. The current investment round is led by Cottonwood Technology Fund and German corporate duotec GmbH and complemented by Mittelständische Beteiligungsgesellschaft Sachsen. “We first met SmartNanotubes two years ago at the High-Tech Venture Days in Dresden. At the same time, we received a recommendation from a large corporate about its outstanding technology,’’ said Alain le Loux, General Partner of Cottonwood Technology Fund. “SmartNanotubes is the perfect example of a deep tech company with disruptive innovation. It is truly rewarding to help them in the pre-customer and pre-revenue stage with launching their technology in the global market. In particular, because SmartNanotubes offers the possibility of technology-selling in multiple markets and product lines.’’ For duotec, the investment in SmartNanotubes is a continuation of their innovation strategy. “We are expanding our portfolio of expertise through innovative and disruptive technologies,” said Arthur Rönisch, Managing Director and CIO of duotec. “This novel sensor technology means we are ahead of the competition by more than just a nose, literally. Together with our customers, we will incorporate this know-how into products.” “We are very excited to have both Cottonwood and duotec on board as our newest investors,’’ said co-founder Dr. Birte Sönnichsen. “duotec is well known as a very professional electronics production partner. And Cottonwood brings us – besides their deep-tech startup experience – a global network of relevant corporates including Asia and the United States”. About SmartNanotubes Technologies SmartNanotubes Technologies GmbH has developed the first micropower multi-channel gas detector chip for the mass market. The sensor elements contain fine-tuned nanomaterials which make the chip highly sensitive, energy-efficient, compact, and low-cost. It can detect multiple gases and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Use cases range from environmental and security applications, home and industrial safety to wearables and IoT lifestyle products. Furthermore, the multi-channel gas detector chip can easily be integrated into different appliances. For more information, please visit: Press Contact Dr. Viktor Bezugly E-mail: bezugly@smart-nanotubes.com Tel: +49 351 850 73 684 About duotec GmbH duotec is a globally operating electronics service provider. duotec has invested for years in innovative manufacturing technologies as well as in basic research and the development of state-of-the-art microelectronics. duotec uses its existing know-how to think out of the box with the aim of pushing innovations and always being a little ahead of the competition. This claim is expressed in the new slogan” Ahead of Innovation”. For more information, please visit: www.duotec.net Press Contact Arthur Rönisch, Managing Director and CIO E-Mail: arthur.roenisch@duotec.net Tel: +49 2353 1390 6160 About Cottonwood Technology Fund Cottonwood Technology Fund is an early-stage venture capital fund. Its investment focus is on hard science and deep tech, providing (pre-)seed and early-stage funding to IP-driven companies. Cottonwood makes impact investments in Key Enabling Technologies like Photonics, Micro- and Nanoelectronics, Advanced Materials, Nanotechnology, Medical Technology, Cleantech, Energy, Advanced Manufacturing, and Robotics. Its regional focus is Northwest Europe and Southwest USA. Current and prior investments include Sarcos Robotics (NASDAQ: STRC), Sencure, Skorpios Technologies, FibeRio (acquired by Clarcor), xF Technologies, Flexiramics, BayoTech, Respira Therapeutics (sold to Prana Bio), Infinitum Electric, TriLumina (acquired by Lumentum), sound energy, Exagen (NASDAQ: XGN), and OPNT. For more information, please visit: www.cottonwood.vc Press Contact Alain le Loux, General Partner E-Mail: alain@cottonwood.vc Tel: +31 53 82 00 798 Press release: https://smart-nanotubes.com/news/

Zurich, Switzerland - Jan. 20, 2022 - In its continuing efforts to discover and develop innovative technologies for the packaging industry, Amcor (NYSE: AMCR; ASX: AMC) announced today its strategic investment in PragmatIC Semiconductor, a world leader in ultra, low-cost electronics. Based in the United Kingdom, PragmatIC Semiconductor develops flexible, integrated circuits beyond the scope of conventional electronics. Their ConnectIC® family of radio frequency identification and near-field communications (RFID/NFC) integrated chips can be embedded into the packaging to store and relay information to devices such as smartphones. This technology will enable smart packaging applications across the entire product lifecycle – from manufacturing and supply chain management to consumer engagement and even material recovery. Frank Lehmann, Vice President of Open Innovation and Corporate Venturing at Amcor, said, “As the global diversified packaging leader, Amcor is well-positioned to tap into early-stage, cutting-edge innovation around sustainability and digitization. We are delighted to partner with PragmatIC Semiconductor to explore ways to leverage and integrate these flexible, integrated circuits into our portfolio of more sustainable packaging solutions.” Scott White, PragmatIC Semiconductor CEO, said, “We are pleased to partner with an industry leader like Amcor. This investment is a testament to the value Amcor continues to place on innovation and our collective vision on how packaging can be used to connect customers and consumers with the information they need.” Amcor’s USD$5 million investment was part of the Series C funding round of more than USD$90 million for PragmatIC Semiconductor. This investment follows the recent investment by Amcor Corporate Venturing in ePac in April of 2021. More information: https://assets.ctfassets.net/f7tuyt85vtoa/2EiZK1ojS8ZgYU0U4ezxR/0bc729974b7cb300ff4beaad3dfb6bc9/PR_Amcor_PragmatIC.pdf https://www.amcor.com/media/news/amcor-announces-strategic-investment-pragmatic-semiconductor

9 - 10 February 2022 | 14:00 - 20:00 CET | Virtual Event Platform TechBlick’s event on 9-10 February 2022 covers two major themes in the battery industry: (1) solid-state batteries and (2) frontier materials beyond standard Li-ion chemistry. In doing so, TechBlick brings together a handpicked world-class agenda consisting of end-users, manufacturers, promising start-ups, as well as renowned market analyst groups. This event provides the opportunity to learn about the latest technology trends, disruptive start-ups, scale-up and production strategies, green approaches, OEM requirements, and market analysis and forecasts. It is truly a unique agenda with unparalleled networking opportunities. Add to your Calendar iCalendar (majority of email clients) | Google Calendar | Microsoft Outlook Calendar Office 365 Calendar | Yahoo Calendar Leading Global Speakers Include: ... and many more ... Themes: Solid-StateStart-Ups Batteries | Next-Gen and Beyond Li-Ion | Promising Start Ups | Market Forecasts | Start-Up Landscape Analysis | Scale-Up Techniques and Successes | Roll-to-Roll | Emerging Solid-State Electrolyte Material Families | Pure and Composite Silicon Anodes | AI and Simulation in Material Discovery and Optimization | LiS | Graphene, CNTs, and VACNTs | Reactive Metals | Existing Emerging Novel Cathodes Materials for Li-ion and SSBs | Aqueous, Binder-Free and/or Green Solutions | 3D Batteries | Additively Manufactured Batteries | Dry Electrode Technology Networking in ‘In-Person Virtual’ Platform The video below shows you how ‘in-person virtual’ works, creating the buzz, energy, and engagement level of physical in-person events with great opportunities for serendipitous ‘coffee-break’ discussions and discovery. What is included in an Online Annual Pass? For 12 months, you can access ALL TechBlick online events, benefit from the library of past content, join past and future industry-led masterclasses, and participate in networking activities. You will also receive a 50% discount on our in-person physical events. The Annual Pass is 600 € per year. However, until 4 February 2022, you can save 100 €, making it 500 € per year, equivalent to some 42 € per month. To benefit from the discount, use the following code at registration: Save100Euros ALL LIVE (online) and on-demand conferences for 12 months Access to the community-centric platform (see the demo here) A growing library of over 300 past state-of-the-art presentations from past events All online INTERACTIVE ‘In-Person Virtual’ networking activities Join virtual exhibition suppressing in-person physical interactions (see the demo here) The growing portfolio of industry-led masterclasses 50% discount on the in-person physical event on Future of Electronics RESHAPED

Breakthrough regulates household temperature without consuming natural gas or electricity Scientists have developed an all-season smart-roof coating that keeps homes warm during the winter and cools during the summer without consuming natural gas or electricity. Research findings reported in the journal Science point to a groundbreaking technology that outperforms commercial cool-roof systems in energy savings. “Our all-season roof coating automatically switches from keeping you cool to warm, depending on outdoor air temperature. This is energy-free, emission-free air conditioning and heating, all in one device,” said Junqiao Wu, a faculty scientist in Berkeley Lab’s Materials Sciences Division and a UC Berkeley professor of materials science and engineering who led the study. Today’s cool roof systems, such as reflective coatings, membranes, shingles, or tiles, have light-colored or darker “cool-colored” surfaces that cool homes by reflecting sunlight. These systems also emit some of the absorbed solar heat as thermal-infrared radiation; in this natural process known as radiative cooling, thermal-infrared light is radiated away from the surface. The problem with many cool-roof systems currently on the market is that they continue to radiate heat in the winter, which drives up heating costs, Wu explained. “Our new material – called a temperature-adaptive radiative coating or TARC – can enable energy savings by automatically turning off the radiative cooling in the winter, overcoming the problem of overcooling,” he said. A roof for all seasons Metals are typically good conductors of electricity and heat. In 2017, Wu and his research team discovered that electrons in vanadium dioxide behave like metal to electricity but an insulator to heat – in other words, they conduct electricity well without conducting much heat. “This behavior contrasts with most other metals where electrons conduct heat and electricity proportionally,” Wu explained. Vanadium dioxide below about 67 degrees Celsius (153 degrees Fahrenheit) is also transparent to (and hence not absorptive of) thermal-infrared light. But once vanadium dioxide reaches 67 degrees Celsius, it switches to a metal state, becoming absorptive of thermal-infrared light. This ability to switch from one phase to another – in this case, from an insulator to metal – is characteristic of what’s known as a phase-change material. To see how vanadium dioxide would perform in a roof system, Wu and his team engineered a 2-centimeter-by-2-centimeter TARC thin-film device. TARC “looks like Scotch tape, and can be affixed to a solid surface like a rooftop,” Wu said. In a key experiment, co-lead author Kechao Tang set up a rooftop experiment at Wu’s East Bay home last summer to demonstrate the technology’s viability in a real-world environment. A wireless measurement device set up on Wu’s balcony continuously recorded responses to changes in direct sunlight and outdoor temperature from a TARC sample, a commercial dark roof sample, and a commercial white roof sample over multiple days. How TARC outperforms in energy savings The researchers then used data from the experiment to simulate how TARC would perform year-round in cities representing 15 different climate zones across the continental U.S. Wu enlisted Ronnen Levinson, a co-author on the study who is a staff scientist and leader of the Heat Island Group in Berkeley Lab’s Energy Technologies Area, to help them refine their model of roof surface temperature. Levinson developed a method to estimate TARC energy savings from a set of more than 100,000 building energy simulations that the Heat Island Group previously performed to evaluate the benefits of cool roofs and cool walls across the United States. Finnegan Reichertz, a 12th-grade student at the East Bay Innovation Academy in Oakland who worked remotely as a summer intern for Wu last year, helped to simulate how TARC and the other roof materials would perform at specific times and on specific days throughout the year for each of the 15 cities or climate zones the researchers studied for the paper. The researchers found that TARC outperforms existing roof coatings for energy saving in 12 of the 15 climate zones, particularly in regions with wide temperature variations between day and night, such as the San Francisco Bay Area, or between winter and summer, such as New York City. “With TARC installed, the average household in the U.S. could save up to 10% electricity,” said Tang, who was a postdoctoral researcher in the Wu lab at the time of the study. He is now an assistant professor at Peking University in Beijing, China. Standard cool roofs have high solar reflectance and high thermal emittance (the ability to release heat by emitting thermal-infrared radiation) even in cool weather. According to the researchers’ measurements, TARC reflects around 75% of sunlight year-round, but its thermal emittance is high (about 90%) when the ambient temperature is warm (above 25 degrees Celsius or 77 degrees Fahrenheit), promoting heat loss to the sky. In cooler weather, TARC’s thermal emittance automatically switches to low, helping to retain heat from solar absorption and indoor heating, Levinson said. Findings from infrared spectroscopy experiments using advanced tools at Berkeley Lab’s Molecular Foundry validated the simulations. “Simple physics predicted TARC would work, but we were surprised it would work so well,” said Wu. “We originally thought the switch from warming to cooling wouldn’t be so dramatic. Our simulations, outdoor experiments, and lab experiments proved otherwise – it’s really exciting.” The researchers plan to develop TARC prototypes on a larger scale to further test its performance as a practical roof coating. Wu said that TARC may also have the potential as a thermally protective coating to prolong battery life in smartphones and laptops, and shield satellites and cars from extremely high or low temperatures. It could also be used to make temperature-regulating fabric for tents, greenhouse coverings, and even hats and jackets. Co-lead authors of the study were Kaichen Dong and Jiachen Li. The Molecular Foundry is a nanoscience user facility at Berkeley Lab. This work was primarily supported by the DOE Office of Science and a Bakar Fellowship. The technology is available for licensing and collaboration. If interested, please contact Berkeley Lab’s Intellectual Property Office, ipo@lbl.gov. More information: https://newscenter.lbl.gov/2021/12/16/roof-year-round-energy-savings/