Common uses of ITO Glass and ITO Plastic
OK, we may be a little biased regarding ITO but believe us, it is used more commonly than you might think. Here we set out some common uses of both ITO glass and ITO plastic, hopefully surprising you along the way…
What is ITO?
ITO is the abbreviated name for Indium Tin Oxide. Indium Tin Oxide is a transparent substance that is electrically conductive. Its importance in our modern lives should not be under-estimated – reading this blog on a cell phone or tablet? Your touchscreen most likely utilises ITO for the touch recognition aspect. There are many other applications for ITO in the real world, here we list some of them.
ITO Glass
As well as touch enabled devices mentioned above Indium Tin Oxide when applied as a thin film coating to glass opens up many possibilities. An important application is when it is utilised in low emissivity (Low-E) glass windows. This smart glass can help regulate internal temperatures, reducing the cost and energy required for either heating or air conditioning.
Heated windows is another application which deserves a mention. These can be useful in the automobile sector, providing demisting functions at the push of a button (normally on an ITO based screen within the cars console – it’s everywhere!). Another use for heated windows is in train, helicopter and aeroplane cockpits. Windshields can be heated by applying a voltage to ensure that they do not freeze up – obviously essential at high speed or altitude.
ITO glass: Helping to save the environment and making travel safer.
ITO Plastic
Plastic that can carry an electric charge also has many applications. Initially, ITO could only be coated to glass but after years of research and development, Diamond Coatings were able to supply ITO onto plastic substrates such as acrylic, polycarbonates and PET films.
ITO plastic is used in many of the same applications as mentioned above but is able to offer a thinner, lighter and in some cases tougher option. Used in most industries, including retail, medical and military, ITO plastic is now heavily utilised around the world.
Think Flexible Printed Circuits, Liquid Crystal Displays & Medical Sensors. Membrane Switches, Position Sensors, Electroluminescent (EL) Lamps, Electrophoretic Displays & EMI/RFI Shielding. The list goes on – as we said ITO plastic and ITO glass are all around us.
Do you need more information?
Our tech team would be happy to talk more about ITO glass and ITO plastic with you. If you have a specific project that could utilise either, talk to us. We can advise on the best product based on your requirements. Get in touch with us today.