Low cost moldable antennas and methods of forming the antennas are described.
Elements of the antennas are conductive loaded resin-based material having a conducting
wire center. The conducting wire center can be single strand, multi-strand, insulated,
or non-insulated wire. The conductive loaded resin-based material comprises micron
conductor fibers, micron conductor powders, or in combination thereof homogenized
within a base resin host wherein the ratio of the weight of the conductor fibers,
conductor powders, or combination thereof to the weight of the base resin host
is typically between about 0.20 and 0.40. The micron conductive fibers or powders
can be stainless steel, nickel, copper, silver, carbon, graphite, or plated particles
or fibers, or the like. The conducting metal wire can be copper, nickel, stainless
steel, silver, or the like. Antennas can be fabricated using methods such as injection
molding, over-molding, thermo-set, protrusion, extrusion, co-extrusion, compression,
or the like to achieve desired electrical characteristics. The elements of the
antennas can be virtually any shape or size desired. The conductive loaded resin-based
material having a conducting wire center provides very efficient antenna operation.