CPI Lends Support to Break down OLED and OPV Barriers

CPI collaborated on a European research and development project known as Flexibilis, which addressed a number of issues inhibiting the uptake of OLED and OPV technologies. 

The project ran from March 2013 to February 2016.

At present, the commercialisation of Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) and Organic Photovoltaic (OPV) based applications, such as flexible displays, lighting and energy harvesting devices, is heavily dependent on the use of indium tin oxide (ITO) for transparent conducting films, and encapsulation films with high-performance barrier properties.

There is an industry need for the creation of alternative technologies and materials that have equal performance but deliver low-cost, sustainable, transparent and flexible products for these applications.

Throughout Europe and the world there are strenuous efforts to develop the technology beyond laboratory scale to the position where they are available in large area quantities at a price compatible with supporting market growth.

Project Achievements

The project investigated TCO (transparent conductive oxide) replacements for ITO and found a number of options with potential niche applications 

The project demonstrated Aluminium zinc oxide-based sandwich layers is one such option where less than 20ohm/​square sheet resistance can be achieved and without the penalty of thicker, less transparent and flexible layers, and without the addition of more complicated metal grids 

Transparent moisture barrier films were also developed on flexible polyester substrate using sputter-coating technology, with a barrier performance approaching the limit of the available measurement capability (5×10 – 4 g/​m²/​day measured at 38oC/​90% relative humidity) 

OPV and OLED demonstrator devices were manufactured at NTC-Weiz at lab-scale and later scaled up at CPI to 200mm substrates.

Project Partners:

• CPI (project coordinator)
• Teer Coatings Limited (part of Miba)
• The University of Bolton
• NanoTecCenter Weiz Forschungsgesellschaft mbH
• High Tech Coatings GmbH (part of Miba)