Hydrogen Innovations, Glass in Semiconductors, Humanoid Robotics, & Rare Earth Supply Chains
Key Insights This Week:
Hydrogen and Helium: Small Molecules, Big Technologies
From the natural gas that underpins power generation to the carbon dioxide emissions driving the climate crisis, there is no denying gases have a significant impact on modern life. The two lightest gases - hydrogen and helium - may be made up of small molecules but have a big role to play in the technology innovations of the future. Key application areas include mobility, power generation, and semiconductor manufacturing.
From the ion exchange membranes in electrolyzers for green hydrogen generation to the gas separation membranes used in helium and hydrogen production, the applications explored in this article represent significant opportunities for chemicals and materials companies. Materials for green hydrogen are needed for components such as catalysts, electrodes, porous transport layers, gas diffusion layers, bipolar plates, and gaskets. Innovations include new catalysts with less iridium content to cut costs. For gas separation membranes, the development of new palladium-alloy metallic membranes could unlock ultra-pure H₂ separation.
Glass in Semiconductors: The Next Inflection in Semiconductors
Glass is gradually moving from a background consumable to the heart of a package, providing the core substrate, the interposer that links chiplets, and the dielectric that shapes sub-THz signals or steers photons on their way to optical fiber.
The catalyst in the shift for glass is the escalating bandwidth and power density of AI and high-performance computing devices. A single training accelerator already requires thousands of high-speed I/O bumps and a power-delivery network that handles hundreds of amps with minimal noise. Organic-based laminate, the workhorse of the last twenty years, struggles to maintain the required flatness and via density in response to ever-increasing demand. Silicon interposers offer far finer wiring, but at a price and panel size that limited applications can justify.
Glass slides neatly between these extremes. Its coefficient of thermal expansion can be tailored to match silicon; its loss tangent is an order of magnitude lower than silicon at 40 GHz, and large-panel processing potential from the LCD industry means a single sheet can be half a meter on one side at costs that trend towards high-end organics as yields rise.
Humanoids, Soft Grippers, and Delivery Robots
Robotics is a multifaceted technology sector presenting many capabilities to expand into a variety of applications, from automotives and warehousing and logistics, to domestic functions.
Humanoid robots possess advanced technologies to be able to carry out tasks with humanlike capabilities. LiDAR and 3D visual systems enable humanoids to have an awareness of their surroundings, with the use of cameras and sensors providing a constant stream of data to help them make decisions.
IDTechEx's report, "Humanoid Robots 2025-2035: Technologies, Markets and Opportunities", identifies the automotive industry as a large market for humanoid uptake, with fitting car parts potentially being amongst their most beneficial purposes. In the short to medium term, humanoids will be deployed in automotive manufacturing and logistics as part of production lines to automate processes such as material handling, inspection, and badge labelling. Many humanoid applications within this sector are still operating in early stages, with incumbent systems needing to become accustomed to the integration of these new workers. However, IDTechEx predicts that by 2033, humanoids could be assigned more complex tasks.
Rare Earth Magnets: Supply, Demand and Performance Comparison Video
IDTechEx analyst Dr Jack Howley summarises the state and outlook of the global rare earth magnet market, which will reach over US$9 billion by 2036.
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