ROPAS

Roll-to-roll PAper Sensors

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 Obiettivo del progetto (Objective)

'ROPAS aims to develop a wireless sensor device on a paper surface which can be manufactured using high-end and low-cost printing techniques. A technological platform is created on a fiber based substrate consisting of the following building blocks: 1. a planar printed battery, 2. a (wireless) signaling device, and 3. a printed sensor switch. Hereto, recent advantages in nanotechnology ((encapsulation) printing, surface modification of fiber based products, sensor and battery development), biotechnology (enzyme encapsulation) and ICT (wireless communication) are integrated on paper. The technological platform can be used to create various high impact (security) applications, which are demonstrated in security tags and smart labels for anti counterfeiting purposes to integrate displays in paper and smart track and trace envelopes. ROPAS will demonstrate products which give the consumer the benefit of saving time and giving more information about the package than possible today, at a low additional cost. Simultaneously creating new products and virgin businesses to boost the paper and pulp industry. The project results in: design guidelines for the technological platform, the creation of printable sensor materials, and processes for printing of such materials including conditioning of the paper substrates. The consortium is carefully constructed based on: 1. Technologically advanced SMEs: Enfucell (printed battery), and MPicoSys(system architecture), who both received awards for there innovative strength and S2 Grupo (ICT security); 2. SMEs and companies with high potential to market and exploit ROPAS technology: Starcke (security tags), Velpa (smart labels) and ELEP (smart envelopes), Loginle (security shipping) and Oce (printed intelligence); 3. High impact RTDs: TNO (sensor development, coating, printing, ICT), VTT (paper modification, intelligent printing processes, enzyme technology), CEA (battery development) and Itene (environmental studies)'

Introduzione (Teaser)

Using low-cost, high-throughput printing techniques, an innovative EU-funded project is incorporating wireless sensor technology into paper products. Target markets include sensing expiration, brand protection and shipping logistics.

Descrizione progetto (Article)

Recent advances in a number of technology fields enable the incorporation of sensors into paper products. Electronic packaging can verify medicine authenticity and emails can be sent confirming when a package is opened by the correct person at the correct address.

At the moment, it is not economically feasible to produce packages and labels with sensors in current industrial application. The 'Roll-to-roll paper sensors' (http://www.ropas-project.eu/ (ROPAS)) project, funded by the EU, aims to solve this problem.

The focus is on low-cost and high-throughput roll-to-roll (R2R) and sheet-to-sheet (S2S) printing. The project is developing a technological platform that integrates printed building blocks consisting of a paper substrate, conductive tracks, a display, an antenna, a battery and sensor switches.

Three applications have demonstrated ROPAS technologies. A security tag will make it possible to determine whether or not a package has been opened. A smart label will enable customers to verify radio frequency identification-coded information easily for use in, for example, brand protection and privacy applications. On top of that the smart label is equipped with a temperature and humidity sensor, monitoring the history of a package. Finally, a smart envelope will provide similar services to tracking and personal delivery at a high security, and at a lower cost.

During the second reporting period, the team optimised the technical building blocks, and completed functional prototypes for all three demonstrators. As an example researchers continued to work on fabrication of the organic radical battery (ORB). Technology for the latter is quite novel and the team has filed a patent application for the ORB electrolyte synthesis methodology.

Next to that, R2R and S2S trials enabled commencement of mass production of the demonstrators. Scientists have improved the printing processes with use of flash sintering to cure the conductive ink at high speed on paper and began working on placement of components. A patent has been filed for the smart envelope technology, and the potential market is huge.

The European paper industry requires innovative and cost-effective ways to add value to its products in order to remain competitive. ROPAS is delivering a solution with building blocks for the next generation of multi-functional fibre-based products for multi-billion euro market sectors including food, packaging, medicine and logistics.