Intenanomat, a firm located in the University of Valencia Science Park, has been selected by the European Commission to participate with theOHMIOindustrial project in SME Instrument. The objective of this support plan, inserted in the Horizon 2020 Program, is, in its first phase, promote the introduction of small and medium European companies in the international market through innovation.
The support of the European Commission, estimated at 50,000 euros, "may represent a leap for the market implantation of our product Ohmidot, a new class of flexible, highly transparent and electrically conductive polymeric materials that will lead to an improvement in performance and a saving in the costs of manufacturing devices such as solar cells and LEDs of new generation", explainedPedro Javier Rodríguez, Head of Research and Development of Intenanomat.
According to Rodríguez, "these materials will be incorporated as conveyor layers in the photovoltaic devices, improving their efficiency and stability". Ohmidot is formulated in liquid with selected additives and 'green' solvents and gives solutions to problems related to other materials existing in the market. Firstly, it is not formulated in water, which degrades the adjacent layers, reducing the useful life of the device, and secondly, it does not contain acid or other components that cause corrosion problems. And finally, it allows reducing the production costs of an electronic device by up to 80%, also reducing the carbon footprint".
The objective of this industrial project is the international exploitation of its new patent of invention, based on this technology and developed in collaboration with the unit of Materials and Optoelectronic Devices of the group Photonics and Semiconductors (FOSE) of the Institute of Materials Sciences (ICMUV ) of the University of Valencia and also with the Bioengineering Institute of the Miguel Hernández University of Elche.
In this regard,Rafael Abargues, Ramón y Cajal Researcher of the ICMUV, has highlighted: "We are already applying these materials in the devices at laboratory scale and the results are very promising".
The project has been one of 257 selected throughout Europe to finance the preparation of a technical and commercial feasibility study and a business plan. In the case of Intenanomat, it will be developed in collaboration with the Technological Institute of Packaging, Transport and Logistics (ITENE) and the advice of the Valencian Institute of Business Competitiveness (IVACE), as regional representative of the European Commission.
Intenanomat is a company born in 2010 within the University of Valwncia and today managed by a team of highly qualified professionals with more than 15 years of experience in the synthesis of different types of nanomaterials. The company expects to achieve a market of 123,490 solar panels across Europe (37 MW of installed capacity) by 2025. They estimate a total sales volume will reach €11 million with an expected profit of €4.3 million, "generating 20 new direct jobs and a NPV of €4.69 million and an IRR of 64% up to 2025", they highlight.