This stretchable OLED display is fully metal free and can be stretched up to 45 percent from the original size in linear directions, also can be shrink back to original form. According to a research team at UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science, who demonstrate the capabilities of an intrinsically stretchable polymer light-emitting device this technology can be widely used in modern electrical appliances such as minimally invasive biomedical devices which freely move with the body, wearable electronics & smart skins.
This feat of engineering achieved by developing a transparent devices by using single walled nanotube polymer composite electrodes. To gain the low sheet resistance, high transparency, high compliance and low surface roughness they have used interpenetrating networks of nanotubes and the polymer matrix in the surface layer of the composites.
Thanks to the shape memory properties of the composite electrodes, this devices can be manufactured by roll lamination of two composite electrodes that sandwich an emissive polymer layer, they uniquely combine mechanical robustness and gives the ability for large-strain deformation.
Research is lead by Dr.Zhibin Yu & his team Qibing Pei, Xiaofan Niu and Zhitian Liu at UCLA funded by National Science Foundation.
Information Source:Â ucla.edu