Paru sells conductive film for refrigerators

A local company has developed an eco-friendly, energy-efficient conductive film that could replace electric wires in home appliances.

Paru, a Suncheon, South Jeolla-based mid-sized company, said on Wednesday it began mass producing the film for Samsung Electronics’ refrigerators. The tech behemoth will replace electric wires embedded in the door of its fridges that are as thick as five millimeters with the so-called “thermal films,” which are only 0.2 to 0.3 millimeters in thickness.

The electric wires prevent frost or condensation caused by the temperature difference within and outside the fridge by generating heat. The wires weren’t optimal: they lost heat easily.

The thermal heater film from Paru takes advantage an electric current’s generation of thermal energy. The company made an ink out of a material with thermal conductivity that contains a small amount of silver. The ink is printed in a pattern on polyethylene terephthalate, a stiff synthetic resin. The pattern generates heat when power is supplied to the nano-silver pattern.

The part is thin and evenly covers a large area, so refrigerator that use it may save more than 10 percent of the energy they use, Paru claims. The part does not produce harmful electromagnetic waves and is safer than electric wires since the nano-silver ink is automatically damaged and intercepts electricity should any overheating occur.

“Beginning with fridge doors, we plan to supply our film for other parts such as water pipes and machines,” said Kang Mun-sik, CEO of the 24-year-old company.

Kang says there are countless applications for the heated film from electric vehicles to vessels, air purifiers and medical equipment.

Wired heaters are installed in floors of large vessels to prevent frosting over and Kang hopes Paru’s invention will replace them in the near future. A large vessel contains some 2.5 billion won ($2.2 million) worth of wired heaters.

BY SEO JI-EUN [seo.jieun@joongang.co.kr]