Nanotechnology to boost E&E exports

BUKIT JALIL: The export for Malaysia's electrical and electronics (E&E) products is expected to increase by 20-30% by 2020 with nanotechnology and the rise of Internet of Things (IoT).
Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry deputy secretary-general Dr Zulkifli Mohamed Hashim said in 2014, the total export for E&E products was RM256 billion, driven by strong global demand for new semiconductor applications and the rapid emergence of IoT.
"The adoption of nano-electronics in manufacturing activities is still in its infancy in Malaysia and this offers a huge potential economic gain if exploited strategically," he said at the signing of four memorandums of understanding (MoU) in the field of nanotechnology and the launch of the Nano Semiconductor Technology Centre here yesterday.
Nanotechnology is the manipulation of materials at a very tiny scale, essentially at the atomic and molecular levels, while IoT is the network of physical objects or "things" embedded with electronics, software, sensors, and connectivity to enable objects to exchange data with the manufacturer, operator and other connected devices.
Zulkifli said nano-electronics as an emerging technology has been identified as a technological solution for upgrading and value adding relevant manufacturing activities in Malaysia corroborated by a growing trend in electronics research and development (R&D) and an increasing number of adoptions from SMEs.
"The collaborative research between the national applied research and development agency for ICT, micro-and nanoelectronics Mimos Bhd, universities and the industry will present opportunities to drive nanotechnology as new source of growth in line with the 11th Malaysia Plan."
The Nano Semiconductor Technology Centre, a comprehensive shared service facility located at the Mimos premises for small, medium and large enterprises in the E&E sector, will also serve as a catalyst to thrust nanotechnology as a new growth engine.
Zulkifli said there are many set-up and operationalisation of nano-electronics related activities currently available for the manufacturing sector, such as advance materials R&D, prototyping, testing and trials facilities at the Semiconductor Technology Centre for Microelectronics and Nanoelectronics at Mimos, the Institute of Microengineering and Nanoelectronics, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia and the Institute of Nano Electronic Engineering, Universiti Malaysia Perlis.
The first MoU signed yesterday was for a technology partnership between nanotechnology commercialisation agency NanoMalaysia Bhd and Mimos will see the two agencies jointly undertake R&D and commercialisation of technology products.
The second MoU was a tripartite collaboration between NanoMalaysia, Mimos and Penchem Technologies Sdn Bhd for R&D and commercialisation of smart sensors and advanced material applications for electronic products.
The third and fourth MoU were signed between Mimos and the University of Malaya and Multimedia University respectively for research, design and development of grapheme, a carbon-based nanomaterial with superlative properties.