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FUTURE
ARJOWIGGINS MOVES towards paper 3.0
A long-established paper-maker, Arjowiggins sees printed electronics
as a source of future growth. The market is currently emerging and seems ready for electronic systems on paper, notably made using electroactive polymers. Gaël Depres, its R&D Manager, explains why.
“We can see the possibilities of this technology
and we have invested
in our equipment to produce high volumes.”
Gaël Depres / R&D Manager at Arjowiggins France
What connection is there between the paper and electronics industries?
Gaël Depres – It’s an opportunistic meeting of two worlds: Arjowiggins, known in particular for its retail stationery brand Conqueror, and printed electronics. This technology consists of using traditional printing methods (screen printing, flexography) but instead of using graphic inks, you print with conductive, insulating or active inks, to create electronic systems on paper.
What are these systems and
what applications are they used for?
G. D. – We’re talking about smart packaging, NFC antennas in passes to allow people to enter a building, payment cards, and specialist inks that can be used to make diplomatic or legal documents secure. These components are used to transmit information to initiate an action, authenticate a document or check the status of an object.
What is the purpose of a sensor on packaging or a smart label?
G. D. – There are several possibilities. A thermal sensor detects changes in a package’s temperature, a pressure sensor measures impacts that could damage the content. These high-tech systems can be used on valuable goods that require a high level of monitoring: Impact sensors on fragile electronic items (TV screens, computers), thermal sensors on palettes of food products, and so on. The market can apply to retail and B2B.
How does it work?
G. D. – The smart label incorporates a sensor, an NFC antenna and a silicon chip. The sensor is made from polymers with piezoelectric properties. When pressure is applied to a material, it generates an electric current that corresponds to information being sent to the chip. The information is sent via the NFC antenna to an active reader – a smartphone for example – in a way that makes it intelligible for the user (see inset).
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