No barrier to flexibility - Isis Project No 2744
Oxford University can now produce ultra-high water vapour transmission barriers for flexible displays.
Marketing Opportunity
High gas barrier polymer films are required for many applications including: OLED/PLED displays and flexible photovoltaics. Typical of where these are used include:
- Vacuum insulation panels
- Liquid crystal displays
- Electronic paper
- Polymer electronics
- Pharmaceutical and food packaging
These technologies have very substantial markets:
- $114.8bn electronic display market, 64% growth in photovoltaic market
- Large markets for films with intermediate barriers
- Vacuum insulation panels to enter in the €70bn European building insulation market.
The Oxford Invention
In many cases the ultra-high gas and moisture flexible barrier is the limiting technology to bring these applications to markets. Long term display and photovoltaic applications need barriers to moisture vapour transmission in the range 10-5 – 10-6 g m-2 day-1 while 10-2 – 10-4 g m-2 day-1 is suitable for the short term.
Oxford’s Institute for Industrial Materials & Manufacturing is a world leading authority on the design and performance of transparent high gas barrier films. Our processes replicate conditions found in industrial roll-to-roll processing, and in particular the high web speeds associated with film coating. This together with flexibility in coating combinations allow the deposition of multiple organic and inorganic layers.
We can now produce films with the transmission characteristics for long term performance.
Development Status
We are now looking to develop this into production with suitable parties, and interested companies are invited to contact the Isis project manager.
Request Further Information: Project Number 2744 No Barrier to Flexibility