University of Chicago Researchers Develop Brighter, Stretchier Screens for Wearable Devices
Researchers at the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering (UChicago PME) have discovered a method to create brighter and more stretchable screens for wearable devices. Led by an undergraduate student, the team found that blending a common plastic softener, dioctyl phthalate (DOP), into light-emitting polymer films significantly improves both their brightness and elasticity. This straightforward approach addresses a long-standing challenge in stretchable organic light-emitting diode (OLED) technology: making light-emitting materials flexible without compromising their efficiency. The addition of DOP increased the efficiency of thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) films from 60% to nearly 100% and improved stretchability from 5% to over 110% crack-onset strain. This effect was observed across multiple TADF polymers, indicating broad applicability.
