Healthcare and digitalization go hand in hand. Printed electronics have revolutionized the healthcare market by enhancing patient care, diagnostics, and efficiency within the industry. The flexibility and cost-effectiveness of producing electronic components through printing processes leads to greater manufacturing scalability, while the lightweight and portable nature of printed electronics devices enables the development of wearable health monitoring devices, smart patches, and flexible sensors that can conform to the human body for continuous health tracking. Henkel offers an extensive portfolio of LOCTITE® branded conductive and dielectric inks for the healthcare market.
For medical electronics products, including medical biosensors and electrodes, reliability and dependability are critical to success. Tekra and Henkel work collaboratively with medical device OEMs and Tier One converters from project inception to next generation development and project launch. Our commercial and technical support continues beyond launch by ensuring product consistency and reliability on a continual basis. Medical device manufacturers trust the accuracy and consistency of Henkel formulated biosensors inks available from Tekra.
Medical Device Conductive Inks from Tekra
Tekra offers a wide range of LOCTITE® inks from Henkel for use in healthcare solutions. Silver-silver chloride (Ag-AgCl) inks are conductive compounds with excellent electrochemical properties and biocompatibility, specifically engineered to detect and measure electrical signals generated by physiological processes within the human body. This makes silver-silver chloride inks ideal for a range of biosensors and continuous monitoring devices when used jointly with other LOCTITE® silver, carbon, and dielectric inks. Other functional materials include flexible and stretchable inks compatible with substrates used in wearable monitoring devices that form to the body as well as self-regulating PTC heater inks for consistent and safe medical heating elements. Some printed electronics healthcare applications include:
- Printed Sensors for Diagnostics and Hygiene – Printed biosensors can detect specific biological markers and enable rapid and accurate diagnostics for patients and care providers. From diagnostic test strips delivering critical results to diabetics to moisture-sensing smart diaper solutions, integrating printed electronics technologies marks a significant stride towards more accessible, cost-effective, and efficient healthcare solutions.
- Medical Wearables – Printed electronics enable the creation of lightweight, flexible, and cost-effective components that can be seamlessly integrated into medical wearable devices, such as smart patches and electrodes. Wearable devices enable continuous monitoring of vital signs, tracking of health metrics, and real-time data analysis. Henkel’s LOCTITE® inks portfolio includes flexible and stretchable inks specifically developed for these applications and print-compatible with common wearable substrates like TPU, PET, and multiple hydrogels.
- Medical Heaters – Printed heaters enable thin, lightweight, and flexible heating solutions for medical applications. LOCTITE® Positive-Temperature-Coefficient (PTC) carbon inks are engineered for rapid, efficient, self-regulating heating elements, used in conjunction with silver and dielectric inks. The self-regulating nature of PTC heaters ensures a consistent and safe heating experience for patients.
Tekra is an authorized distributor of Henkel’s LOCTITE® printed electronics inks that include silver conductive inks, carbon conductive and resistive inks, and dielectric inks. Tekra's partnership with Henkel provides our customers access to world class products used in the production of flexible circuitry, biosensors, antennas, flexible heating elements, and membrane touch switches.
Tekra complements its LOCTITE® inks portfolio by offering Mylar® Specialty Films (formerly DuPont Teijin Films™) Mylar® and Melinex® polyester and SABIC's LEXAN™ polycarbonate films, as well as 3M's extensive line of transfer tapes and adhesives. You can rely on Tekra and Henkel to provide a complete solution for your printed electronics needs.
