October 12, 2022 09:31 ET | Source: C3Nano

HAYWARD, Calif., Oct. 12, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — C3Nano, Inc. (C3Nano) the performance leader in nanowire-based technologies and conductive inks, today announced plans to scale up its Ultra-Nanowire™ product line advancing new industry applications with plated nanowires. Based on C3Nano’s patented core-shell nanowire technologies silver nanowires are plated with nano-scale coatings of a noble metal (e.g., platinum, gold, palladium), resulting in a far more robust and reliable material set that is ideally suited for advanced composites, conductive coatings biocompatibility, and harsher applications in heating, automotive, aerospace and cleantech.

Applying the nanoscale noble metal protective coating imparts dramatically improved thermal, chemical, and corrosion stabilities, while preserving excellent electronic properties. Compared to conventional nanowires, Ultra-Nanowires can be processed at much higher temperatures, and remain electrically conductive opening new applications and opportunities in conductive composites, coatings, heating, and dissipation, shielding, grounding, anti-static, transparent heating, medical devices, molding, forming, and 3D printing.

Films and composites made from Ultra-Nanowires can demonstrate exceptional reliability when subject to hard testing like 85C/85%RH, or direct exposure (without additional protective coatings) to UV light and harsh chemicals. For heating applications, the improved durability and thermal stability also enables much higher power densities, currents, and temperatures compared to conventional nanowires-based systems. Furthermore, coatings can improve biocompatibility and biorthogonality.

The announcement of plans to scale the Ultra-Nanowires technology follows C3Nano’s recent breakthrough on conductive inks processable at room temperatures enhancing C3Nano’s ability to electrify a multitude of new materials and surfaces over vast temperatures and process ranges and further strengthens C3Nano’s position as the premier supplier of nanowire-based technologies.

“Scaling and commercialization of the Ultra-Nanowires will permit our customers and partners greater freedom in designing and incorporating our materials in their products and devices. Our Ultra-Nanowires will become a key enabling material in multiple large and emerging markets. We are excited to continue our development with our current partners and empower totally new technologies for others with these precisely engineered and novel nanomaterials,” said Dr. Ajay Virkar, CTO of C3Nano.

Nanowires are known to be excellent electronic additives but could not be fully utilized in the multibillion-dollar conductive composites market often due to processing limitations. These Ultra-Nanowires are much ‘tougher’ and may be ideal candidates for electronic fillers when incorporated into plastics and resins to impart electrical or heat conduction. These would open upon countless conductive composite applications, including conductive adhesives, aerospace, biomedical devices, anti-static, shielding, and coating applications like solar cells, and smart windows, etc.

Being tolerant to much higher temperatures and current densities, Ultra-Nanowires are ideal for the emerging field of transparent heating and shielding, especially in the automotive market where new materials and solutions are required to address large opportunities in EV, LiDAR, and smart/autonomous cars.

C3Nano CTO and co-founder Ajay Virkar, PhD will be speaking at the TechBlick LIVE! The Future of Electronics Reshaped Conference and Exhibition. His presentation titled, ‘A Platform Technology to Revolutionize Electronics and Smart Surfaces: Nanomaterials, Inks, Coatings and Composites,’ will be given on Day Two of the conference, October 13.
The conference takes place October 12th and 13th in Eindhoven, Netherlands.

As part of the launch of the new Ultra-Nanowires product line C3Nano is seeking customers and development partners for its novel Ultra-Nanowires technologies. C3Nano believes several unique applications including, Heating, direct conductive filler inclusions into melt/extrusion plastics, conductive adhesives and composites, 3D printing, bio-medical, and aerospace may all be viable and attractive applications to target.

C3 Nano, Inc. is the performance leader in nanowire-based technologies, and conductive inks that transform advanced materials and the smart surface industry. The Company is accelerating the depth of innovation through its electronic materials platform and nanowire-based technology solutions. C3Nano’s products are used by global manufacturers of mobile devices, notebook computers, and tablets, consumer electronics, automotive, cleantech and life science applications, enabling electrical conductivity and new functionality upon any surface.

Headquartered in Silicon Valley, C3Nano operates manufacturing, sales, and technical support facilities in the U.S. and throughout Asia. More information about C3Nano is available at www.c3nano.com.

Media Contact:

Robert Collins
robert@gatewayir.com

October 04, 2022 11:09 ET | Source: C3Nano

HAYWARD, Calif., Oct. 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — C3Nano, Inc. (C3Nano), the performance leader in nanowire-based technologies and conductive inks, today announced a new breakthrough formulation that can be cured rapidly at ambient conditions to produce highly conductive coatings on a variety of temperature sensitive substrates. Excellent optical clarity can also be achieved. The new room temperature curing ink unlocks unprecedented new application possibilities for life-sciences, automotive, packaging, consumer electronics and disposable commodities that have previously been impossible or too costly to bring to commercial market.

To meet the unmet need for conductive coatings on softer and temperature sensitive substrates, C3Nano developed the Activegrid™ LT (Low Temperature) Ink Series. Activegrid LT enables new technologies, devices, and applications in potentially endless markets ranging from high-volume and low-cost applications like food packaging (depositing on Saran-wrap™) and consumer electronics (coatings on polarizers, anti-static films, adhesives) to sophisticated bio-medical devices and applications which often use bio-compatible and highly engineered polymeric materials with maximum process temperatures below ~ 50 °C.

C3Nano’s new Activegrid LT innovation is part of its conductive materials platform composed of nanowires, nanomaterials, formulations, thin films, and coatings and further adds to its broad and industry leading technology and IP portfolio. In addition to providing the highest quality and largest scale silver nanowires, and the top performing flexible, and stretchable transparent conductive inks, C3Nano now also provides the lowest temperature and fastest curing conductive inks on the market.

“This innovation liberates the imagination to design new smart surfaces and connectivity-based technologies. We want to transform how new products like smart and IoT devices, packaging, medical devices, automobiles, walls and quite frankly every surface can now engage with a customer, providing valuable information, interactivity or brand experiences,” said Ajay Virkar, co-founder and CTO of C3Nano.

C3Nano’s new room temperature curing conductive ink can dramatically reduce manufacturing energy requirements, lowering costs and enabling less expensive processing – helping bring more commercial new smart surface applications to market at greater scale. As global brands and electronics manufacturers become more ESG minded in their operational process commitment to the environment and community, the new curing process addresses a major factor in bringing new innovative products to market.

With lower cost and new surface coating opportunities through the electrical functionalization of wide range of materials, films and substrates, there are boundless new application opportunities, including the following:

As part of the launch of Activegrid™ room temperature curing transparent conductive ink, C3Nano is seeking new development partners and customers to enable new commercial applications which exploit the highly unique and revolutionary ambient temperature and processing time advantages.

C3 Nano, Inc. is the performance leader in nanowire-based technologies, and conductive inks that transform advanced materials and the smart surface industry. The Company is accelerating the depth of innovation through its electronic materials platform and nanowire-based technology solutions. C3Nano’s products are used by global manufacturers of mobile devices, notebook computers, and tablets, consumer electronics, automotive, cleantech and life science applications, enabling electrical conductivity and new functionality upon any surface.

Headquartered in Silicon Valley, C3Nano operates manufacturing, sales, and technical support facilities in the U.S. and throughout Asia. More information about C3Nano is available at www.c3nano.com.

Media Contact:

Robert Collins
robert@gatewayir.com
(617) 797-1979

WASHINGTON, July 2, 2020 — The American Chemical Society (ACS) Publications Division and ACS Central Science are pleased to announce the winner of theACS Central Science Disruptors & Innovators Prize, Zhenan Bao, Ph.D, of Stanford University.

作为下一代透明导电油墨和薄膜的性能领导者，C3Nano公司就近期在中国的专利相关纠纷进展情况发表正式声明。

首先需要说明的是，一般而言，当某些公司反复持续对其他公司持有的专利提起无效宣告程序时，往往意味着该公司认为该专利的存在致使自身存在高度侵权风险。从此次相关决定来看复审委维持了对C3Nano核心熔合技术加以保护的专利权，虽然有部分权利要求被宣告无效，但这些权利要求并非C3Nano所保护技术的核心。尤其考虑到在中国及在国际范围内，C3Nano一直致力于不断扩展和强化其专利布局以实现对自身技术的全面保护。迄今为止，C3Nano已有超过75篇已获授权和待授权专利，涵盖的重要专利权利可以充分保障产品商业化以及与全球合作伙伴的商业合作。C3Nano在中国及其他地区的技术领先地位与对应的专利保护仍然稳固，并将进一步加强。C3Nano可以向合作伙伴及客户承诺，其持有的知识产权可全方位覆盖其产品、技术以及对透明导电材料的使用。

C3Nano深深扎根于中国乃至亚洲地区，对竞争对手不当使用我们核心技术的任何企图和行为必定追究到底。尽管我们非常尊重复审委在专利无效宣告程序中为评估此项复杂技术时作出的努力，但是我们并不认同相应的决定结果，这一点我们将在下文中做进一步解释。目前，C3Nano正在全面考虑如何应对和处理复审委的决定。

根据专利法及相关法律，拥有专利权利和拥有技术可自由实施的权利存在本质区别。专利权利存续期间，专利权人拥有禁止他人使用相应技术的禁用权，但若该专利会受更早专利的限制，那这一专利就不能有效保障专利权人实际使用该专利所涉技术。考虑到这点，近期复审委关于C3Nano两项专利的决定对C3Nano相关技术的可自由实施性并没有直接影响。因此，我们的商务关系以及向客户提供最佳性能透明导电油墨和薄膜的能力，未发生任何改变。

C3Nano对复审委就近期决定作出的工作和努力表示尊重，但对于其对专利效力的认定结论不能认同，原因如下。我们仍需要再次强调，如上所述，这些决定本质上对公司的专利权没有多少影响。在ZL201480018734.0（即7340专利）的决定中，复审委主要参考的是一项韩国Inktec公司持有的专利。但是，一来没有任何证据表明我们有侵犯到Inktec专利，二来Inktec的技术也与可挑战C3Nano技术的专利要求差别很大。因而复审委关于7340专利的决定并不会对C3Nano相应技术的可自由实施性造成任何影响。

复审委对7340专利作出决定的主要争议集中于对权利要求的解释问题，而对于C3Nano涉及熔合金属纳米结构网络形成这一颠覆性技术创新没有充分的理解。令人意外的是，虽然有充分的技术资料表明由著名中国科学家崔铮教授和C3Nano专利主要发明人阿杰伊博士出具的专家证言具有充分的科学依据和专业性，但复审委没有认可其真实性，从而没有将其内容作为作出审查决定的依据。

7340专利直接关联于国际PCT专利申请US2013/046866（WO 2013/192,437），该PCT专利申请在美国（US 10,020,807）、日本（6387021B和6657336）、韩国（10-1888734）、和中国台湾（I624357）均获授权。在不同国家、地区对该专利的审查过程中，引用参照了大量广泛的参考资料，均未能影响我们专利获得授权。C3Nano相关专利的效力在美国专利法庭也曾接受挑战，美国专利审查及上诉委员会（PTAB）在复查C3Nano两项专利时也将前述Inktec专利列入考虑，仍在审理程序初始阶段就驳回了由天材公司的母公司，即英属维京群岛Cambrios公司提交的多方复审程序申请。需要注意的是，这两项由PTAB多方复审程序作出的驳回决定的评估范围和内容与此次复审委的审查内容非常类似，但结论却存在明显差别。可以说，复审委关于7340专利的决定与其他的多数程序认定结果是不一致的。C3Nano此前已经对相关问题进行了深入研究，并向业内世界级专家进行咨询，以确保其专利保护可以覆盖并着重于保护其技术的真正创造性及其实际适用性。复审委的这两项决定是目前仅有的两项否认了C3Nano基于专业考量和精心设计得到专利的效力的官方决定。

复审委的第二项决定涉及中国专利ZL 201380033141.7，在该案中，复审委对于被无效的权利要求给出的评价理由为权利要求得不到说明书的支持等。由于该决定未引用其他在先技术无效涉案专利，该决定实际与C3Nano技术的可自由实施性无关。但是，复审委的决定仍令人意外，因为相关专利在美国（9,920,207和10,029,916）)、日本（6392213）、韩国（10-2027623）、欧洲（2864990B）、和中国台湾（I627640）均获授权。复审委并没从在先技术材料中找到影响C3Nano专利权利创造性的理由。该决定基于专利说明书公开不充分、权利要求得不到说明书支持等理由。然而，在专利授权阶段，具有专业知识的专利审查员并未对此提出过类似异议。

此次系列争议涉及的相对方Cambrios，热衷于专利数量的累积，并试图说服大家认同专利数量与其代表的价值正向相关。对此，任何对行业以及对专利法有所了解的人都知晓，专利的价值取决于其权利要求覆盖的技术保护范围及其稳定性，不同专利的价值差异巨大。那些与产品的商业化无关的、容易被设计规避的、稳定性较差的专利实际上是毫无价值的。而与之相反，一项保护范围适宜、兼具稳定性与实用性的关键专利，其构成采用该技术的公司的核心资产。因此，申请时间较早但无法实际应用的专利并不具备影响力，同样地，对此类低价值或无价值专利的重复堆积，也不会产生实际影响力。低价值专利的堆积可以在统计专利数量时给出漂亮的数据图表，让那些热衷于专利收集的人自我感觉良好，但并不能真正衡量专利的实际价值。C3Nano则一直致力于将其专利资源进行有效整合形成一个强而有力的专利组合，覆盖其熔合及熔合结构，并用于解决采用纳米银基导体替代氧化铟锡（ITO）过程中碰到的关键性技术障碍。

总而言之，复审委的决定并不意味着影响C3Nano技术的可自由实施性。C3Nano的技术仍有坚实的专利墙保护。TPK/Cambrios一直以来试图混淆视听，破坏我们扩大行业市场的共同努力。TPK应当意识到他们应该致力于开发自有技术，并停止在由他们无端发起的专利战上浪费资源，停止试图削弱C3Nano的专利，以便其不当地使用这些有价值的技术。

C3Nano Inc., the performance leader in next-generation, transparent conductive inks and films, would like to set the record straight with regard to recent IP developments in China. While the PRB upheld C3nano’s key fusing technology, some claims were invalidated but were not critical for protection of C3Nano’s technology, especially in view of its strong international patent coverage, which C3Nano continues to expand and fortify including in China.  C3Nano has more than 75 issued and pending patents with substantial patent claims to protect its commercial products and global partners.  C3Nano’s overall IP position in China and beyond remains strong and ever expanding. C3Nano can assure its partners and customers that its intellectual property covers its products, technology and use of our transparent conducting materials.

C3nano has deep roots in China and throughout Asia and any attempts to misappropriate our fundamental technology by competitors will be fought vigorously.  While we deeply respect the PRBs efforts at evaluating this complex technology, we are not able to agree on the merits of their decisions, as explained further below.  C3Nano is considering all options for mitigation in view of the PRB decisions.

In patent law, there is a fundamental distinction between having patent protection and having freedom to operate.  A valid patent provides a right to exclude others from practicing the claimed invention during the life of the patent.  A valid patent does not provide a right to actually practice the claimed invention if the invention is dominated by older patents.  With this in mind, the recent PRB decisions relating to two C3Nano patents have no direct effect on C3nano’s freedom to operate. Thus, our commercial relationships and ability to provide customers with the highest performing transparent conductive inks and films protected by our IP remains unchanged.

For the reasons described below, C3Nano respectfully disagrees with the recent PRB decisions.  But as discussed above, the basis for these decisions does not cause broader concerns.  With respect to the PRB decision for ZL201480018734.0 (the 3490 patent), the Board relied upon a patent from Inktec Company of Korea.  Since there are no basis for infringement of the Inktec patents and since the Inktec technologies are very different from any patents that could be asserted against the C3Nano technology, the PRB decision related to the 7340 patent does not cast any doubt on C3Nano’s freedom to operate.

The Board’s decision rendered for the 7340 patent was substantially based on a claim construction issue that avoided construing aspects of C3Nano’s disruptive technology advance involving the formation of a fused metal nanostructured network.  The Board’s decision surprisingly refused to accept the authenticity of a Declaration of a famous Chinese scientist, Professor Cui, as well as from the lead inventor Dr. Ajay Virkar.  Significant amounts of technical material show that these expert Declarations are scientific and professional.

The 7340 patent was a national stage filing related to international application PCT/US2013/046866 (WO 2013/192,437).  Related patents have issued in the U.S. (US 10,020,807), Japan (6387021B and 6657336), South Korea (10-1888734) and Taiwan (I624357).  While obtaining these patents, a broad range of references were considered, and the claims proceeded to allowance.  A challenge to later priority C3Nano patent at the U.S. Patent Trial and Appeal Board reviewed two C3Nano patents and considered the Inktec patent.  The US PTAB denied the institution of a so called Inter Partes Review at an early stage to deny a challenge from Taicai parent company, Cambrios Film Solutions Corporation of the British Virgin Islands.  A significant issue of the two PTAB IPR decisions denying institution of the proceedings was an evaluation of the claim scope very similar to the PRB decision that came to a different conclusion.  Thus, the PRB decision involving the 7340 patent was contrary to extensive proceedings in other jurisdictions.  C3Nano has studied these issues with great intensity and has consulted world experts in order to ensure that their patent coverage is focused on the true inventive nature of their technology with an appropriate scope.  These two PRB decisions are the only official decision contrary to C3Nano’s well-studied position.

A second PRB decision involved Chinese patent ZL 201380033141.7.  The PRB decision in this case was based on an assertion of a lack of support for the claims that were found invalid.  This decision certainly causes no cloud whatsoever on the issue of freedom to operate since the basis of the PRB decision has no relevance in any way to freedom to operate issues.  The basis for the PRB decision is certainly surprising since related patents have issued in the U.S. (9,920,207 and 10,029,916), Japan (6392213), South Korea (10-2027623), Europe (2864990B), and Taiwan (I627640)  The PRB panel did not find reasons based on earlier references to assert that the C3Nano claims were not inventive.  This decision seems to be based on an application of claim requirements that are not well defined or generally applied.  The highly capable Chinese patent Examiner that granted this patent did not sense any of these concerns.

With respect to Cambrios’ propensity of to count patents and attempts to convince everyone that volume alone connotes value, anyone schooled in the art knows that patent values are very disproportionate in terms of their scope based on the coverage of the claims and the validity of the patents.  Patents that are not relevant to commercial products or are easy to design around or are clearly invalid can have effectively zero value.  On the other hand, just one critical patent with solid validity that is needed to practice products incorporating the technology can have a value that is on par with the total asset value of the companies operating in the technology.  Thus, having an early priority date with patents that are not needed to work in the technology is of little consequence.  Similarly, having large numbers of low value or no value patents can be of little consequence.  Counting numbers can make nice colorful figures and give comfort to those who collect patents, but counting numbers is not a way to determine the actual value of patents.  C3Nano has focused on directing their IP resources to efficiently building a very strong and formidable IP portfolio which covers fusing, fused structures, and by resolving key technical hurdles which precluded the adoption of AgNW based conductors are replacements to Indium Tin Oxide (ITO).

In summary, the PRB decisions provide no implications regarding C3nano’s freedom to operate.  As explained, C3Nano maintains a robust wall of patent protection around their technology. Furthermore, it is worth noting that TPK/Cambrios continued attempts to muddy the water and undermines our collective efforts to expand this industry sector.  Eventually TPK must realize they need to develop their own technology and stop wasting resources trying to chisel away at C3Nano IP in their misguided campaign to misappropriate valuable technology.

FAQ Analysis: June 2020

May 20, 2020 09:00 ET | Source: C3Nano

HAYWARD, CA – May 20, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) – C3Nano Inc., the performance leader in next-generation, transparent conductive films, announced today it has closed an initial equity investment from lead investor Nitto Denko, as the first step in an anticipated $15 million funding round. Nitto Denko Corp. (OTCMKTS: NDEKY) an Osaka-based diversified materials manufacturer, is a major supplier of films and touch panel display products for the global smartphone, tablet, and display industries. The two companies will collaborate on further development of the supply chain channel for the global flexible display market.

Current investors include Nissha Printing Co., Ltd., Hitachi Chemical, Nagase America and Lens Technology.

“Our partnership with Nitto Denko is the latest indication that we offer superior technology in the global transparent film and touch display market,” said Clifford Morris, CEO, C3Nano. “C3Nano is the recognized performance leader, and we supply materials for foldable phones and other devices around the world. We are grateful for the opportunity to work with Nitto Denko and combine our technical skills to support innovation and expansion of this important sector as well as other new and novel emerging products and markets.”

One of the emerging markets C3Nano and Nitto Denko supply is the foldable device market, estimated by Display Supply Chain Consultants (DSCC) in its 2020 report, to exceed $70B in product revenues by 2025, with the foldable display segment growing to $7.9B and foldable panel shipments rising to 77 million units. According to DSCC Founder and CEO Ross Young, “C3Nano is well positioned to help the foldable display market solve the scratch resistance issues that have plagued foldable adoption so far. In addition, its strong IP position and technical advantages with its ActiveGrid technology should ensure continued strong growth in the mobile and large-area touch market.”

“C3Nano is a strategic investment for us and will enable us to partner more closely on developing innovative products and expanding the materials supply chain for the evolving device and touch display market,” said Nitto Denko in a statement. “We chose C3Nano due to its performance leadership and excellent technology which will facilitate growing our market with the confidence that we have the most effective team and product in this market segment.”

Nitto Denko Corporation is a global pioneer of state-of-the-art technology and Japan’s leading diversified materials manufacturer. Founded in 1918 to produce electrical insulation materials, Nitto has grown to be a leader in the energy materials, industrial tapes, environmental solution, optronics, and life sciences markets.

Nitto contributes to the daily lives of individuals and the future of industry with our ability to generate innovative and unique solutions. Our proprietary technologies turn ocean water into drinking water, make transportation safer and create sharper LCD displays, among other advancements. Innovation and originality are important parts of our company values, and we never stop inventing. For more information, visit https://www.nitto.com/us/en/

C3Nano Inc., is the performance leader in next-generation, transparent conductive inks and films for the touch sensor and display industry. The company has more than 75 global patents (issued or pending) including multiple patents which cover its NanoGlue^® technology. NanoGlue acts to fuse the conductive silver nanowires (AgNWs) technology into a new high-performance conductive network or grid (ActiveGrid™). NanoGlue is effective in lowering sheet resistance, while maintaining excellent optical transparency, low haze, and low reflectivity.

The company’s products are used by global manufacturers of mobile devices, notebook computers and tablets. C3Nano’s innovative technology is also in use in large area interactive TV and automotive sensor applications.

C3Nano’s investors include Nitto Denko, Nissha Printing Co., Ltd., Hitachi Chemical, Nagase America and Lens Technology. Venture capital investors include GSR Ventures and Phoenix Venture Partners. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, C3Nano operates manufacturing, sales and technical support facilities in the U.S. and in Asia. Visit www.c3nano.com for more information.

Media Contact:
Jennifer Spoerri
jennifer@gallagherpr.com
(415) 577-0171

HAYWARD, CA – December 5, 2019 – C3Nano Inc., the world’s performance leader in silver nanowire-based transparent conductive inks and films used in flexible displays and touchscreens, has announced the adoption of its ActiveGuardHC,™ a hard coat film which provides excellent scratch resistance, hardness, flexibility and superb optical clarity by Visionox in its AMOLED displays used in their new foldable smartphone.  Visionox also is the OLED display/touch module supplier for the Xiaomi Mix Alpha.

The Mi MIX Alpha 5G Surround Display Concept Smartphone

ActiveGuardHC™ hard coat film enables lighter, more flexible and formable devices. It’s compatible with a wide variety of substrates including transparent polyimide (TPI™), polyethyleneterthaphalte (PET), polycarbonate (PC). ActiveGuardHC is an ultra-thin, scratch resistant, and high hardness coating which is perfect for applications such as smart-phones, tablets, notebooks and wearables.

“ActiveGuardHC is an excellent replacement for glass cover lens. With high demands for flexible materials, our product is game-changing technology that will open doors for worldwide flexible devices,” said Xiaofeng Chen, vice president of operations at C3Nano.

Founded in 2001, Visionox Technology, Inc. is a high-tech enterprise focusing on OLED technology development. Visionox has been dedicated to the technological advancement of China since our foundation, and sticks to the development paths of focusing science and technology and persisting in innovation. Our origin can be traced to the Tsinghua University Organic EL (electroluminescence) research group established in 1996. The company operates under a vision of “pushing boundaries to enhance the experience of vision” and a mission of “leading China’s OLED industry through technological innovation.” With over 20 years of experience in OLED technology, Visionox has become a leading global enterprise in the OLED industry, covering R&D, production, and sales.

HAYWARD, CA – October 30, 2019 – C3Nano Inc., the world’s performance leader in silver nanowire (AgNW)-based transparent conductive inks and films used in flexible displays, touchscreens and other products, announced today that it has received a US patent for the use of low-reflectivity AgNW-based films in display technology. The new patent, number US 10,438,714,  protects C3Nano’s composition of matter and process of producing transparent conductive display films that meet top-tier device makers’ requirements for off-state blackness and sensor optics.  C3Nano is also in the process of patenting this invention in multiple other significantly relevant international jurisdictions.

Device makers have long used Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) in their touchscreens because devices employing ITO show desirable optical attributes such as a deep black when the device is off and minimal pattern visibility. But as they strive to develop next-generation devices with foldable, flexible displays, they must utilize new materials because ITO is too brittle and flexing causes device failure.  AgNW-based transparent conductors are recognized as the best material to replace ITO for flexible applications.

Other makers of AgNW-based transparent conductor technologies cannot match ITO’s blackness and low diffuse reflectivity—the material tends to look milky and “whitish,” especially in the off-state.  These detrimental optical deficiencies have precluded use of AgNW transparent conductors in Tier 1 devices.  However, C3Nano’s newest generation (Gen 7) of inks and films show the lowest reflectivity for flexible transparent conductors required for high-end consumer electronics.  C3Nano has demonstrated that its latest materials achieve deep black in off-state conditions and has patent-protected this technology. This means device manufacturers can now implement C3Nano’s AgNW-based materials (ActiveGrid™) to create flexible touch sensors for foldable displays while maintaining the optical characteristics of ITO, which consumers expect.

In order to reduce the reflectivity and haze, the AgNW diameters must be reduced. However, as the AgNWs become thinner and optically superior, the junction and overall film resistance dramatically increase.  C3Nano is the only company which can mitigate this critical issue because of its  key NanoGlue® technology, which fuses ultrathin nanowires in order to achieve the optimal performance for AgNW-based transparent conductors. C3Nano’s NanoGlue enables lower reflectivity, deeper black, and greater sharpness in the display.

“Reflectivity is one of the key barriers to adoption of metal AgNW-based materials in foldable and flexible displays, and with this patent, C3Nano appears to have surmounted that barrier,” said Vladimir Roznyatovskiy, PhD, senior research analyst at Lux Research, Inc. “This patent helps ensure that C3Nano can protect its technology.”

“Unquestionably, AgNW-based transparent conductors are significantly more flexible than ITO, but matching the optical properties of ITO has been a major challenge,” said Ajay Virkar, PhD, CTO of C3Nano. “However, recently customers and Tier 1 end-users have made sensors and end devices using our Gen 7 ActiveGrid material and have confirmed that its optical properties match the highest quality ITO while remaining flexible and passing all reliability requirements.  We believe this fundamental composition of matter IP strengthens not only our position, but also that of our supply chain partners and customers as we work together to provide the best technology for the flexible consumer electronics market.”

HAYWARD, CA – September 3, 2019 – C3Nano Inc., the world’s performance leader in silver nanowire-based transparent conductive inks and films used in flexible displays, touchscreens and other products, announced today its second intellectual property victory, defeating Cambrios Film Solutions Corporation’s (CAM’s) attempt to invalidate one of its patents, (US Patent  No. 9,447,301); this is one of several key patents in C3Nano’s extensive international intellectual property (IP) portfolio related to its proprietary NanoGlue™ fusing technology, which is required to achieve optimal performance for nanoscale metallic transparent conductors. C3Nano thus maintains the world’s most important IP portfolio related to silver nanowire-based transparent conductive inks and films, and once again demonstrates its unique advantages and industry leadership.

On August 27, 2019, the U.S. Patent Trials and Appeals Board denied institution of inter partes review (IPR) requested in a petition filed by CAM on February 20, 2019.  The denial of institution issued by the Board brings an end to the proceeding filed by CAM.  This is the second denial of institution by the Board within the past three weeks of an IPR filed by CAM against a C3Nano patent.  The Board issued the first denial of an IPR filed by CAM on August 9, 2019. In both instances, the Board ruled that the arguments presented by CAM failed to meet the standard of a reasonable likelihood that the Petitioner (CAM) would prevail to establish invalidity of commercially significant claims and intellectual property.

NanoGlue technology is the key differentiator enabling the use of silver nanowire-based conductive films and inks for advanced commercial applications such as ultra-high resolution flexible screens, curved screens, wearables, and other next-generation display products.

In early 2019, CAM also withdrew two invalidation proceedings filed in China attempting to invalidate two of C3Nano’s Chinese patents after having difficulty presenting its case to the Chinese patent review authorities. CAM’s inability to maintain and support challenges to C3Nano’s patents demonstrates the strength of C3Nano’s NanoGlue technology and the commercial viability of C3Nano products, and further establishes C3Nano as the industry leader.

“CAM’s frivolous IP challenges have caused unfortunate distractions and setbacks to our industry as a whole. Rather than focus on technology advancement and commercialization, CAM has focused on intimidation and trying futilely to win in courts. Our customers depend on us to deliver the best technology and products, and C3Nano is clearly the leader,” said Cliff Morris, CEO of C3Nano. “C3Nano calls on all customers, partners and fair-minded competitors to constructively work together to make silver nanowire-based technologies successful as a whole, and not be intimidated by CAM’s ongoing destructive behavior.”

Through customer wins and partnerships—such as the recent news that Hitachi Chemical Company qualified C3Nano’s ActiveGrid™ ink for mass production and is integrated in several flexible display devices in 2019—C3Nano is extending its lead in the race for commercialization of silver nanowire-based inks and films. C3Nano will continue to vigorously defend its valuable global intellectual property rights, and the company is committed to providing the highest performing materials for new generations of display products through its production facilities in Hayward, Calif., and Changzhou, China.