PI: Michael Bockstaller
Co-PI(s): Krzysztof Matyjaszewski
University: Carnegie Mellon University
Semiconductor quantum dot (QD)-based full color luminescent panels are expected to provide breakthrough advances in the area of energy efficient active display and lighting technologies. To facilitate this type of application established manufacturing processes apply four-color screen or inkjet printing processes to fabricate monochromatic zones of distinct-color QDs. The sequential nature of multistep zone printing presents a formidable challenge for the commercialization of QD-based active display and lighting technologies because it limits scale-up and cost efficient production. The overarching technical objective of this proposal is to develop a transformative new bottom-up approach for the high throughput and cost efficient production QD-based luminescent panels by harnessing the autonomous organization of mixed polymer-modified QD systems into monochromatic domain structures.
The scientific objectives of this project are threefold:
- To adopt a recently developed initiator variant to the synthesis of poly(methyl methacrylate), polystyrene and poly(styrene-r-acrylonitrile) tethered QDs.
- To evaluate the effect of polymer modification on the luminescence efficacy of QDs, and in particular to identify conditions for maintaining high luminescence efficacy in red QD systems.
- To demonstrate the possibility of the autonomous organization of mixed QD films into monochromatic domain structures.
The results of the proposed research will provide a foundation for the development of new and transformative fabrication strategies for the cost-efficient production of full-color quantum dot-based luminescent panels by replacing the established fabrication process based on multistep zone printing with a uniform coating process and the subsequent self-assembly of quantum dots in monochromatic domain structures.