Tech Briefs Magazine - April 2024 - 31

ture up to around 176 °F (80 °C) - to
form a semiconductor " ink. "
Tiny molecular " building block " structures
within the ink self-assemble in
solution - a process that the researchers
call supramolecular assembly. " Our
approach can be compared to building
with LEGO blocks, " said Cheng Zhu, the
co-first author on the paper and a Ph.D.
candidate in materials science and engineering
at UC Berkeley.
These supramolecular structures
enable the material to achieve stable
and high-purity synthesis at low temperatures,
explained Zhu. He developed
the material while working as
a research affiliate in Berkeley Lab's
Materials Sciences Division and graduate
student researcher in the Peidong
Yang group at Berkeley Lab and UC
Berkeley.
Spectroscopy experiments at UC
Berkeley revealed that the supramolecular
ink composites are highly
efficient emitters of blue and green
light - two signifiers of the material's
potential application as an energy-efficient
OLED emitter in electronic displays
and 3D printing.
Subsequent optical experiments revealed
that the blue- and green-emitting
supramolecular ink compounds exhibit
what scientists call near-unity quantum
efficiency. " This demonstrates their exceptional
ability to convert nearly all absorbed
light into visible light during the
emission process, " Zhu explained.
To demonstrate the material's color
tunability and luminescence as an
OLED emitter, the researchers fabricated
a thin-film display prototype
from the composite ink. In an exciting
result, they found that the material is
suitable for programmable electronic
displays.
" The alphabet movie serves as a
compelling example that illustrates the
application of emissive thin films like
supramolecular ink in the creation of
fast-switching displays, " said Zhu.
Additional experiments at UC Berkeley
showed that the supramolecular ink
is also compatible with 3D printing technologies
such as for the design of decorative
OLED lighting.
Zhu added that manufacturers could
also use the supramolecular ink to fabricate
wearable devices or high-tech clothing
that illuminates for safety in low-light
conditions, or wearable devices that display
information through the supramolecular
light-emitting structures.
Tech Briefs, April 2024
With their demonstrated stability and
shelf life, the supramolecular ink compounds
could also help in the commercial
advancement of ionic halide perovskites,
a thin-film solar material that the display
industry has been eyeing for decades.
With their low-temperature synthesis in
solution, ionic halide perovskites could
potentially enable cheaper manufacturing
processes for the manufacturing of
displays. But high-performance halide
perovskites contain the element lead,
which is concerning for the environment
and public health. In contrast, the new
supramolecular ink - which belongs to
the ionic halide perovskite family - offers
a lead-free formulation without compromising
performance.
For more information, contact media
@lbl.gov.
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Tech Briefs Magazine - April 2024

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