Research Articles

This new IDTechEx report characterizes the quantum sensor market, key technologies, and players. Coverage across 20 quantum sensing technology areas, with applications of quantum sensors in electric vehicles, navigation, medical imaging, and quantum computing with market forecasts from 2026 to 2046. It reveals significant opportunity, with the quantum sensor market forecast to reach US$1.9bn by 2046.

The global market for supercapacitors has seen steady growth over the last decade due to niches in automotive, power grid, and industrial applications, and will continue to do so from 2026 to 2036, with an expected global market size of US$4.86 billion by 2036. The newly-released report from IDTechEx, "Supercapacitors 2026-2036: Technologies, Applications and Forecasts", offers in-depth independent analysis of this growing market.

The Li-ion battery recycling market is expanding rapidly through partnerships, funding, and new large-scale facilities using established recycling technologies to recover valuable materials. IDTechEx forecasts that the Li-ion battery recycling market will be valued at US$52B in 2045, but continued innovation and advancements in direct LIB recycling and battery-grade graphite recycling technologies will be crucial to realize this full value.

Webinar: Software Defined Vehicles: Central Compute, OTA Monetization & AI - Market Outlook to 2036 Presenter: Shihao Fu, Technology Analyst, IDTechEx Date: Thursday 21 August 2025 Can't attend live? Register anyway to receive the on-demand recording and presentation slides, available for a limited time.

Natural chemicals, machine learning that can advance enzyme engineering, and bioplastic food containers are just some of the benefits of sustainable chemical technology. This article covers some of the sustainable technologies of the future, explored in IDTechEx's research.

Achieving continuity and efficiency with biometrics and health data can be achieved with wearables. This article explores some of the main devices in the wearables market today including smart watches, and others which are emerging, such as smart gumshields.

This report provides an in-depth technical analysis of thermal interface materials (including TIM1/TIM2/TIM1.5) for EV batteries, power electronics, advanced semiconductor packaging, space and satellite technologies, data centers, EMI shielding, 5G, ADAS, and consumer electronics. 10-year granular area (m2), mass (kg), revenue (US$), and TIM unit price (US$) forecasts are given by application. The report covers recent developments in TIM fillers, high-performance TIMs, successful commercial uses, and historic TIM player acquisitions and partnerships. The report also identifies future TIM trends.

The global RFID market is set to continue its expansion in 2025. IDTechEx forecasts it to reach US$15.6 billion, up from US$15 billion in 2024. Looking further ahead, the market is expected to grow to US$23 billion by 2036. This article presents an overview of the RFID market outlook and regional trends, based on insights from the new report, "RFID 2026-2036: Forecasts, Players and Opportunities".

IDTechEx analyst Pranav Jaswani summarizes opportunities for additive materials in Lithium-ion batteries.

Semiconductors, co-packaged optics, and photonic integrated circuits are some of the research topics covered by IDTechEx showcasing the advancements being made in the semiconductor industry. This article explores some of the current trends and developments being made within the sector.

The audio industry may be on the verge of a technological revolution. For over a century, the operating principles of speakers have remained largely unchanged, but this article explores the emergence of MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems) speakers and how this paradigm shift could change the audio industry.

Gas sensors are poised to see increasing adoption in battery packs in electric vehicles and energy storage systems, with the battery pack gas sensor market expected to exceed US$157.1 million by 2036.

This new IDTechEx report provides insights into the global supercapacitor market, discussing three broad technology groups and segmented into seven market sectors.

Sustainable technologies are generating a record amount of interest across many sectors. This article covers the landscapes of green steel, green hydrogen, and the push for countries to achieve decarbonization goals.

Co-habiting or working alongside robots with humanlike capabilities may no longer be a thing of science-fiction. This article covers humanoid robots, collaborative robots, and vehicle autonomy, as well as the use of AI software within robotics.

IDTechEx estimates that the composite material market for green energy applications will reach US$78 billion by 2046.

High-performance rare earth magnets are set to remain critical materials in electric vehicles, wind turbines, and robotics applications, despite a climate of intensifying supply risks, price pressures and export restrictions. As new rare earth supply chains emerge across the USA, Europe and Asia, IDTechEx characterizes growth opportunities presented for rare earth magnet technologies - from separation and refining to magnet production and recycling.

Microplastics have emerged as a major environmental concern, prompting growing public awareness and increasing regulatory pressure. In response, industries are turning to innovative technologies and sustainable alternatives. IDTechEx explores global regulations and cutting-edge solutions shaping the future of this rapidly evolving space.

Webinar: Additives for Li-ion: The Critical but Overlooked Materials Shaping the Battery Industry Presenter: Pranav Jaswani, Technology Analyst, IDTechEx Date: Thursday 14 August 2025 Choose your preferred time zone - the webinar runs three times during the day.

As the microplastics regulatory landscape develops, industries and decision-makers require accurate, forward-looking insights to stay competitive. IDTechEx's dedicated report "Microplastics 2025: Regulations, Technologies, and Alternatives" offers comprehensive analysis of current trends, the shifting regulatory landscape, and emerging technologies tackling microplastic filtration and capture. The report also evaluates promising material alternatives and delivers critical insights into market trends, ongoing challenges, and the future outlook for stakeholders navigating this emerging field.

As the global push for decarbonization accelerates, wind power has become a cornerstone for the renewable energy transition. But behind its clean energy image lies a growing environmental challenge: a rising tide of end-of-life (EoL) wind turbine blades.

As software becomes an increasingly important differentiator and component of autonomous driving, the term 'end-to-end' has been used to describe a new approach to autonomous driving software. End-to-end autonomous driving systems are defined by the input of raw sensor data into a deep learning model, and outputting vehicle control commands such as steering, acceleration, and braking. This represents a paradigm shift from the traditional modular software approach used in autonomous vehicles.

The demand for scalable and efficient storage is at an all-time high, with the strain on data centers becoming increasingly apparent. This article explores sustainable innovations for data centers, alongside cooling technologies.

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.