Encapsulation Technologies for Advanced Lighting System
28 May 2013
CPI and DuPont Teijin Films delivered a novel, high-performance barrier film suitable for lightweight OLED lighting and signage applications by developing barrier layers on engineered polymer substrates to replace glass. The barrier capability will enable flexible, lightweight, low power light sources for a broad range of applications from large area lighting to novel concepts for mood and environmental illumination.
Current work on OLED lighting uses glass barrier and substrate materials, which add cost and impose technical limitations to the finished luminaire. The project replaced glass with a plastic film barrier substrate, significantly reducing the cost of the materials used and the manufacturing process whilst opening up new design opportunities for OLED lighting and photovoltaics.
Approach
The project targeted combinations of multi-layer inorganic thin film coatings and organics in order to deliver at least 1 x10-5 g H2O/m2/day. The role of CPI was to provide coating expertise and the facilities to enable the characterisation of thin layers (5- 200nm) on polymeric substrates. Du Pont Teijin Films underpinned all of the work via the development and supply of advanced substrates.
Results
The project has enabled CPI and DuPont Teijin Films to develop an in depth understanding of the manufacture of barrier technology on a range of flexible polyester substrates.
In addition, an in depth knowledge of barrier measurement capability has also been developed with CPI being recognised as a centre of excellence for barrier measurement at the levels required for PV cells “and above (1 x 10-4 to 1 x 10-6 g H2O/m2/day).
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