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Clear/Transparent Conductive Material

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buurin

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Is anyone aware of a conductive material that is clear/transparent?

Ideally I am seeking something similar to transparent film used during presentations on the projectors -- but conductive.

Something that is wildly expensive would not fit the bill.. I would say an 8"x10" sheet costing $50-100 would be the absolute maximum cost feasible for me.

The material would simply be used as somewhat 'invisible' contacts and would only be subjected to currents < 1ma

Thanks
 
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I'm going to assume that's in inches.... If it's in feet/cm/some other measurement, I wouldn't know...

In any case, **broken link removed** makes an "IR hot-mirror" on a 7 mil polycarbonate sheet. The side with the coating is conductive (dunno how much or how uniform). I have one of the sheets, I think it's sold by McMaster Carr, PN: 7769T4.

Alternatively just get a resistive touch panel and disassemble it. I think most of those panes use ITO coatings or something.
 
Indium tin oxide (ITO, or tin-doped indium oxide) is a mixture of indium(III) oxide (In2O3) and tin(IV) oxide (SnO2), typically 90% In2O3, 10% SnO2 by weight. It is transparent and colorless in thin layers. In bulk form, it is yellowish to grey.

Indium tin oxide's main feature is the combination of electrical conductivity and optical transparency.
 
I think that ITO is expensive both due to cost of materials and the process of making it (according to wiki).. I had never heard of it but I looked it up, so thanks -- it seems to fit the bill other than cost.

Every solution I have seen seems to be geared towards LCDs and other types of displays. I was hoping for a simpler, somewhat readily available solution.
 
Hi,

I think the packaging used for a lot of sensitive electronic boards
is mildly conductive, to minimise static.
Some of that packaging is clear, or clear in patches.

However, ive never tried using its conductivity in any way.

From your post, i guess that you intend to cover an area of display
with this material,
maybe a strip along the bottom, which would display a choice of
"buttons" to press, then change with the display ... maybe.

Best of luck with it, John :)
 
Thats a very interresting suggestions, antistatic bags are almost perfect -- not quite transparent but they are definitely conductive and of the correct 'consistency'


Thanks a lot.
 
Hope it works out Ok.

John :)
 
This clear conductive material is really interesting. I saw it being used in a glass table to supply power to Surface Mount LEDs. They even went so far as to route the supply down the leg and into the floor so no power connections can be seen at all - very impressive. The table was made by Ingo Maurer. Attached are some photos I took of it at the V & A Museum in London. I'd like to try and make something like that one day.
 

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I could use one of those as a starchart with my little starship miniatures to plan out my strategy for galactic conquest.
 
We are looking for transparent antistatic / conductive agent to mix with rubber / polymer water emulsions and later impregnate in jute non woven textile.

The TCM impregnated jute non woven, after conditioning of product at 20C and 65 Rh for 7 days, the antistatic properties should be in range of 100 khoms - 1000 mohms specified for safety shoes.

It is used as shoe insole in safety shoes required as per EN norms.

Request for guidance.

Regards
Mani Almal
 
I used to deposit doped ITO and/or ZNO (Zinc Oxide) on glass and other substrates using RF sputtering. The substrates we used were 7059 and soda lime glass.

I did find this: **broken link removed**
https://www.visionteksystems.co.uk/ito-glass.htm

There is a terminology called resistance/square which is resistivity without the thickness taken into account.
I know <30 ohms/sq would be OK for 1 mA.
 
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