Research Articles

Helium is favored for cryogenic applications and temperatures close to absolute zero due to its chemical inertness. This article explores different approaches to sourcing helium and its uses in semiconductor manufacturing.

Webinar: Electrolyzer Component Advancements for Green Hydrogen Production Presenter: Chingis Idrissov, Senior Technology Analyst, IDTechEx Date: Thursday 7 August 2025 Choose your preferred time zone - the webinar runs three times during the day.

By 2035, the second-life electric vehicle (EV) battery market is projected to reach a value of US$4.2 billion, according to IDTechEx. But what's driving this growth, and what hurdles still lie ahead? IDTechEx explains in this video.

The transition to green steel is being critically accelerated by offtakers, primarily from the automotive and construction sectors, whose demand is making the industry's capital-intensive decarbonization financially viable. Driven by tightening regulations and corporate net-zero commitments, these major consumers are signing binding offtake agreements that de-risk multi-billion-dollar investments for producers, effectively creating the bankability for new low-carbon facilities. According to insights from the "Green Steel 2025-2035: Technologies, Players, Markets, Forecasts" report, this demand-side revolution is creating a crucial tipping point for the market's growth, driving significant production forecasts despite persistent challenges such as supply chain fragility and the need for standardized definitions of "green steel".

The future of energy could be increasingly streamlined, sustainable, and efficient, with battery developments and the integration of machine learning. This article explores the future of energy, from Li-ion batteries for electric vehicles and AI machine learning for their repurposing, to hydrogen fuel cells for vehicles and energy storage.

IDTechEx has been studying RFID for over two decades and have just released our latest version of the RFID market research report: "RFID 2026-2036: Forecasts, Players and Opportunities". This report is built on our expertise, covering the latest RFID development trends, key player analysis, and market outlook. The report provides an unbiased review of RFID technology, companies, applications, and the market, providing the reader with a unique insight into the whole RFID sector, including its current state and future possibilities.

The automotive industry is undergoing a foundational shift toward Software-Defined Vehicles (SDVs), where vehicle functionality, user experience, and monetization opportunities are governed increasingly by software rather than hardware. This evolution, captured comprehensively in the latest IDTechEx report, "Software-Defined Vehicles, Connected Cars, and AI in Cars 2026-2036: Markets, Trends, and Forecasts", highlights how central compute and zonal platforms will redefine automotive competition, generating an estimated US$755 billion in hardware revenue by 2029.

In this article, IDTechEx analyzes how the quantum computing market has commercialized over recent years and the milestones for commercial value that lie ahead. In particular, how the transition into HPC facilities and data centers has accelerated the uptake of quantum hardware.

Making the call to order a coffee on-the-go could be the new normal for vehicles fitted with in-cabin sensing features and artificial intelligence systems. This article explores the future of software-defined vehicles and increasing levels of autonomy.

The brand-new report provides comprehensive analysis and benchmarking of rare earth magnet technologies, including neodymium magnets and samarium-cobalt magnets. Manufacturing innovations and trends in design and integration of rare earth magnets into electric motor, energy generator, and actuator applications are discussed, along with global rare earth magnet supply chain capacity, expansion plans and the emerging magnet recycling market.

The automotive market is more than familiar with regulatory changes impacting its business. Automotive refrigerants have been targeted previously, but PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are becoming a greater concern and look to be the next target for regulatory change. There are different approaches to replacing the incumbent R1234yf with PFAS-free alternatives, but each has its own trade-offs. This article covers the most promising alternatives.

IDTechEx Technology Analyst Noah El Alami explores quantum sensors, which offer extreme precision in measuring time, gravity, magnetism, and more.

As metal-organic framework (MOF)-based technologies advance toward commercialization, decarbonization emerges as a key driver of market success. This article by IDTechEx explores how carbon capture, chemical separations, and air cooling and water harvesting are shaping the future of MOFs, fueling a projected 50-fold increase in demand by 2030.

IDTechEx forecast that the global market for advanced battery pack sensors will reach US$224 million by 2036.

IDTechEx's Autonomous Vehicle Software Market report provides a holistic overview of the current cutting edge of autonomous driving sensors, introducing hardware and regulations before moving on to different approaches to software for ADAS and autonomous driving. It analyses key developments from players such as Waymo and Tesla, and also enabling technologies such as HD maps, steer-by-wire, and the applications of AI for software and software development. The report includes a 20-year forecast of the automotive software industry, separated by region and SAE level, forecasted in US$ and annual unit sales.

Dry electrode processes are emerging as a lower cost, more sustainable method for electrode production. This article highlights what they are, why they are gaining traction, and what their rise means for Li-ion manufacturing and binder markets over the next 10 years.

This IDTechEx article covers biomethane production, which can offer energy security and decarbonized power. It is typically produced via biogas upgrading using gas separation membranes.

Webinar: Thermal Challenges and Cooling Strategies for Next-Gen 3D Semiconductor Packaging Presenter: Yulin Wang Date: 29 July 2025

Quantum computing promises a revolution in computational capabilities. This accessible quantum computing market report evaluates key technologies, companies, drivers for growth and adoption barriers across this emerging industry. Multiple competing quantum computer technologies are assessed: superconducting, silicon-spin, photonic, trapped ion, neutral atom, topological, diamond defect, and annealing. Detailed SWOT analysis, company roadmaps, and benchmarking are provided for each modality, along with twenty-year market forecast outlining the prospects of each.

In this article, IDTechEx explores the power and thermal challenges associated with 3D-stacked chips, as well as the emerging solution trends the industry is adopting or proposing for both 2.5D and 3D packaging technologies. The insights are based on IDTechEx's latest report, "Thermal Management for Advanced Semiconductor Packaging 2026-2036: Technologies, Markets, and Opportunities", which offers a comprehensive analysis of thermal management strategies for advanced semiconductor packaging technologies.

This article covers the importance of dispersion technology for enabling carbon nanotube enhanced technology, including energy storage and composites. IDTechEx discusses the key applications requiring CNT dispersions, commercial successes and technical challenges.

How AI transforms materials discovery: Why data quality, lab digitization, and inverse design are critical for next-gen alloys, batteries, and beyond - this article offers key insights from industry leaders.

The new IDTechEx report "Thermal Management for Electric Vehicles 2026-2036: Materials, Markets, and Technologies" analyses thermal management approaches for electric vehicle batteries, motors, power electronics, and the vehicle as a whole. A deep dive is taken into OEM strategies, materials, fluids, and technologies. 10 year granular market forecasts are included segmented by technology.

Carbon nanotubes exist within the advanced carbon family, which consists of many types and dimensions. This article explores some of the main applications and manufacturing methods for carbon nanotubes.

With the increasing demand for semiconductors and data centers as memory and storage applications grow, there is a need for increased sustainability efforts. This article explores various approaches to reducing energy and emissions in semiconductor manufacturing processes and data centers.

Could MEMS gravimeters be the next breakthrough in the MEMS industry? Gravimeters unlock subsurface scanning by measuring tiny deviations in local gravitational fields. Current gravimeters are large and expensive, but IDTechEx's latest report, "Next-Generation MEMS 2026-2036: Markets, Technologies, and Players", reveals that microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) could bring chip-scale gravimeters to market and dramatically alter the field of gravimetry.

The automotive industry is undergoing a foundational shift toward software-defined vehicles (SDVs), where functionality, value, and user experience are increasingly governed by software rather than hardware. IDTechEx's new market report, "Software-Defined Vehicles, Connected Cars, and AI in Cars 2026-2036: Markets, Trends, and Forecasts", offers a comprehensive analysis of this transformation, covering the evolution of in-vehicle electrical/electronic (E/E) architecture, connectivity platforms, feature monetization models, and long-term market forecasts.

IDTechEx explores the rising hardware and energy requirements needed for training today's largest AI models, and how nations are competing to stay ahead. This article discusses the sanctions the US has imposed on China, and how China is navigating these.

This article explores the key technological advancements in the critical components within the water electrolyzer stacks. Drawing from the comprehensive IDTechEx report, "Materials for Green Hydrogen Production 2026-2036: Technologies, Players, Forecasts", it focuses on recent innovations in core components including separators and membranes, electrodes and MEAs, bipolar plates, and porous transport layers. The analysis highlights how developments in these materials and designs are vital for improving the overall efficiency, durability, and cost-effectiveness of green hydrogen production, thereby accelerating its widespread adoption.

Automation levels from 1 to 5 can be seen in almost all types of vehicles manufactured today. This article explores the primary shifts happening between levels 2 and 3, and the automation landscape globally.

Webinar: The Future of MEMS Gyroscopes Presenter: Mika Takahashi, Technology Analyst, IDTechEx Date: Thursday 24th July 2025 Choose your preferred time zone - the webinar runs three times during the day.

Lignin, once largely burned for energy, is now being explored as a valuable input for a wide range of green applications. In this article, IDTechEx provides insight into three lignin extraction technologies enabling new applications. All are approaching commercialization.

The new independent IDTechEx report, "Additives for Li-ion Batteries and PFAS-Free Batteries 2026-2036" offers an in-depth analysis of the evolving market for binders, conductive additives, and electrolyte additives. It examines the impact of PFAS regulation, new production methods, and silicon anodes, with 10-year forecasts projecting the market to exceed US$18 billion by 2036.

In this article, IDTechEx analyzes the potential of fusion energy in powering future data centers, motivated by the recent announcement that Google has agreed to purchase 200MW of fusion power from a prominent startup in the early 2030s.

Composite materials are increasingly being used to innovate green energy technologies, from advancing wind turbine blades, to enabling lighter and more efficient electric vehicles. In this article, IDTechEx Technology Analyst Maia Benstead explores the key sustainability trends driving the uptake of fiber reinforced polymer composites across a range of clean energy sectors.

In this video, IDTechEx analyst Yulin Wang talks you through the state-of-play of humanoid robots.