Homogeneously Bright, Flexible, and Foldable Lighting Devices with Functionalized Graphene Electrodes

ACS Appl Mater Interfaces. 2016 Jul 6;8(26):16541-5. doi: 10.1021/acsami.6b04042. Epub 2016 Jun 22.

Abstract

Alternating current electroluminescent technology allows the fabrication of large area, flat and flexible lights. Presently the maximum size of a continuous panel is limited by the high resistivity of available transparent electrode materials causing a visible gradient of brightness. Here, we demonstrate that the use of the best known transparent conductor FeCl3-intercalated few-layer graphene boosts the brightness of electroluminescent devices by 49% compared to pristine graphene. Intensity gradients observed for high aspect ratio devices are undetectable when using these highly conductive electrodes. Flat lights on polymer substrates are found to be resilient to repeated and flexural strains.

Keywords: flexible; foldable; functionalized graphene; graphene; light-emitting devices; optoelectronics; transparent electrodes.