Singapore  - A new film developed by researchers in Singapore has the potential to jump-start the plastic electronics industry in the city-state, the research team said on Tuesday.

Apart from the need to be flexible, the plastic layer from A*Star's Institute of Materials Research and Engineering has to be impervious to moisture and oxygen to prevent organic substances from degrading or declining in performance.

A test conducted by the UK Centre for Process Innovation showed the material using the technology is 1,000 times more impervious to moisture than existing plastic films.

For manufacturers and consumers, this means a longer lifespan for end products, the researchers said.

The institute has signed an agreement with Kisco Asia, a subsidiary of Japanese equipment supplier Kisco Ltd, to commercialize and market the film in the Asia-Pacific region.

A deal has also been signed with British solar firm G24 Innovations to collaborate on developing technology for solar cell applications.

Plastic electronics applies to such possible end products as flexible solar panels, electronic paper and curvy display screens. (dpa)