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The list highlights their work on gold nanowires for large‑scale printed electronics — a technology with the potential to redefine how future flexible displays, solar cells, and sensors are manufactured.
The Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences (IVA) aims to strengthen Sweden’s ability to translate academic research into innovation, competitiveness, and tangible societal benefit. Publishing IVA’s annual list is one of its tools. Each year, a committee from academia, industry, and the public sector selects around 30 projects considered to have exceptional potential to address major societal challenges — from climate and energy to digitalization and health.
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Gold nanowires offer nearly all the desired properties:
● High conductivity — thanks to their network of long, thin wires
â—ŹĚýTransparency — light passes between the wires
● Flexibility — the material withstands bending and stretching
â—ŹĚýChemical and thermal stability — unlike silver and copper
The obstacle has been cost. Existing gold nanowires are short, difficult to produce, and can cost over a million dollars per gram, limiting their use to niche biomedical applications.
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The result is electronics that are more durable, energy‑efficient, affordable, easier to recycle, and optimized for flexible and wearable technologies. This opens the door to flexible solar cells, printed displays, optical components, high‑performance sensors, and next‑generation wearables such as smart contact lenses and e‑skin.
The technology is moving toward pilot‑scale production, and the research team is seeking industrial partners to scale up applications.
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