Ink from silver-coated copper particles for printed electronics marks the first commercial joint venture between a technology transfer office of an Israeli University and a Korean company.

The deal gives a leading Korean printing firm the rights to an Israeli innovation in producing conductive ink.

Vaxan Steel will develop a process invented at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem for utilizing silver-coated copper nanoparticles to make new, cheaper inks for the rapidly expanding field of printed electronics.

These inks will enable manufacturers to print electric circuits on almost any surface, including paper, plastic, silicon and ceramics. Some of the many present and potential applications for such an ink are thin-film photovoltaics, radio frequency identification tags and OLED lighting and sensors.