
Researcher turns to crowdfunding for ‘greener’ OLED project
Walter Weare, Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry at NC State University, is seeking to help fund the project which aims to develop a ‘greener’ lower cost method of producing OLED materials. The research team has discovered how to form carbon-carbon bonds by adding a metal compound (such as chromium, molybdenum, or tungsten) to a ketone (a carbon-oxygen double bond). The only byproduct of this process that the team hav identified so far is oxygen.
By replacing traditional carbon bond-bond methods with oxygen in the form of ketones, the researchers are able to reduce many of the toxic byproducts (including tin, bromine or chlorine) associated with OLED production.
The NCSU method relies on easier-to-use microwave heating to reach temperatures necessary for the reaction (~150 degrees Celsius).
The project has already raised more than $1000 to purchase reaction vials used in microwave reactions to help fund the purchase of a gas addition kit which will allow the study of whether gases such as hydrogen can be used to improve the effectiveness of the new method.
Related articles and links:
News materials:
Consortium drives development of innovative OLED lighting systems
Stretchable OLEDs for displays, lighting
CPI demonstrates ultra-flexible OTFT device array for foldable AMOLED displays
