The global silver nanowires market has witnessed considerable traction over the years due to the demand for the product from the vast healthcare sector, on account of its anti-microbial properties. These characteristics may be attributed to its strong optical transmittance and conductivity, which will magnify the use of the product in medical applications such as imaging.

Improvement in disposable income among people over the years and the need for advanced products has supported advancements in the global electronics industry. There is a surging end-user preference towards silver nanowire-based transparent conductive electrodes for the next-gen semiconductor equipment, due to the low cost of manufacturing and superior flexibility.

In electronics, the product is used due to superior efficiency in absorbing and scattering light that is characterized through various microscopic measures like transmission electron, scanning electron, and atomic force. Growing demand for micro integrated electronic systems is likely to drive the demand for metal nanowires owing to the optical properties of silver-based nanowires. Enhanced features of silver materials have led to higher optical flexibility and transparency which may be used in the production of both, optoelectronic and electronic devices.

As per reports, the global silver nanowires market is expected to surpass USD 1.5 billion in total annual remuneration through 2025. Germany has witnessed notable demand over the years from medical imaging applications. These products have low toxicity and anti-bacterial characteristics that may be used in the form of ions and nanoparticles in medical imaging.

There is a growing market for neurology, oncology, cardiology, gynecology, and gastroenterology due to the increasing cases of chronic illnesses and the use of medical imaging. Escalating increase in carbon dioxide levels has urged governments globally to adopt sustainable measures to protect the environment. The adoption of sustainable sources of energy such as solar power has witnessed popularity over the years.

China’s silver nanowires industry share from solar applications is anticipated to account for nearly 30% of the global value. This is due to the high aspect ratio and conductive properties of the product that may be used in transparent and non-transparent applications including conductive inks, solar displays, and pastes. Increasing efforts undertaken by the authorities in China, such as the goal of reaching 1,300 GW of solar capacity, will favor the deployment of optical solar materials.

Silver-based nanowires are extensively used in various products like biological sensors and photovoltaics owing to different optical, thermal and electric properties coupled with an excellent reflection and absorption characteristics. These products may be dispersed in IPA, ethylene glycol, epoxy resin and water that surpasses its application range. The properties including superior conductivity and getting stabilized through a double layer of charge have complemented the use of silver nanowires in the optical industry.

Researchers across the globe are working towards improving the quality of the product due to the growing demand for the product along with the need to achieve a competitive edge. For example, the researchers at Nankai University in China have developed novel organic electrodes to be used for flexible photovoltaics solutions, devices that may be used to capture sunlight and convert it into electricity with the help of water processed silver nanowires.

Prominent silver nanowires companies include RAS AG, NanoTech Labs, C3Nano and Hefel Vigon, among various others.