Lighting is the largest component of worldwide energy usage, consuming 20% of the total electricity. Polymer-based Organic Light Emitting Diodes (OLED) has been recognized as an ideal source for area lighting applications due to its potential for large area production, high efficiency and unit brightness, and color rendering effects. However, in order to achieve low cost and high efficiency, an air stable cathode with efficient electron injection properties is required. Carbon nanotubes have been demonstrated as a viable electron injection material for the OLED application, but there remains the need to increase solubility and dispersion in order to improve performance. To address these issues, this project will develop a stable, solvent-process cathode for OLED applications, based on using a purified single-wall carbon nanotube combined with a surfactant-conductive polymer.
Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The nanotube-based OELDs should improve the efficiency of converting electrical energy into lighting. Because 7.2% of U.S. energy consumption is used in lighting applications, significant energy savings would be possible
