Where Are Indium Coatings Used?

Where Are Indium Coatings Used?

Indium coatings are so widely used it may be difficult to get through a single day without relying on them! Uses include flat panel TVs, cell phone and tablet screens, and car windshields.

Without a doubt, the most common form of Indium coating has to be as a thin coating of Indium Tin Oxide (ITO). An optically clear substance that has the added benefit of being electrically conductive that adheres well to glass or plastic.

Fun fact! Indium comes in the form of a shiny silvery metal. To touch, it is soft and malleable and can be bent into any form of shape. In (fun) fact, when Indium is bent, it produces a noise similar to a high-pitched scream!

Indium Coatings Applications

The ability to transform glass, or plastic (in pretty much any shape) into a conductive material offers many applications. Possibly the most common and widespread use is in consumer electronics, in the afore mentioned TVs and cell phones. Cell phone touch screens use a capacitive touch system whereby the screen is conductive. When you touch the screen, there is a change in the voltage, allowing the device to identify the location of the touch and even the gesture of touch.

Heated windows are another important application of ITO coatings. By applying a small charge across a windshield (in planes, trains and automobiles too), the glass can be heated which can de-mist and de-ice – this comes with obvious safety benefits.

Indium Tin Oxide is also used in research and development, notably for electron microscopy – the option of running charge through the slide and coverslip rather than the specimen holds obvious advantages (Diamond Coatings supply both ITO coated slides and ITO coverslips which you can purchase directly from our website).

Both the medical and military industry use ITO coatings in multiple forms, especially in devices and instruments that use touchscreens. In most cases, these work differently to the way your cell phone works – a resistive touch screen works on downward pressure rather than a surface touch. These touch screens are far more robust and can operate in the most demanding of environments.

If you took money out of an ATM recently, there’s a good chance the screen used the same resistive touch technology – Like we said earlier, Indium Tin Coatings are everywhere.

Large format electronic window displays often use Indium coatings over thin polyester films so there may have been another encounter with ITO today. Now that you know, you may start looking around for possible ITO applications in every aspect of daily life.

One aspect that we are especially proud of is the positive environmental impact that our ITO coatings are having on the environment. Indium coatings are utilised in both solar cells and also in smart (Low-E) windows.

Diamond Coatings have positioned themselves as a leading supplier of ITO coatings both here in the Sates and on a global level too. Based in Phoenix, Arizona, we are well placed to meet all consumer requirements with our customers ranging from small scale businesses to the largest companies operating on a worldwide scale.

How Can We Help?

If you need any information on Indium coatings, or have a specific application in mind, please get in touch with us today. We would be more than happy to assist with your enquiry.