Photoluminescence enhancement in quantum-dot-polymer films with CO2 micropores through KHCO3 decomposition

Yi Zhang; Jae-In Yoo; Hyo-Bin Kim; Kang-Hoon Kim; Sung-Cheon Kang; Eun-Young Choi; Sundararajan Parani; Jang-Kun Song

doi:10.1016/j.jcis.2023.06.093

Photoluminescence enhancement in quantum-dot-polymer films with CO₂ micropores through KHCO₃ decomposition

J Colloid Interface Sci. 2023 Nov:649:132-139. doi: 10.1016/j.jcis.2023.06.093. Epub 2023 Jun 17.

Authors

Yi Zhang¹, Jae-In Yoo¹, Hyo-Bin Kim², Kang-Hoon Kim³, Sung-Cheon Kang¹, Eun-Young Choi¹, Sundararajan Parani⁴, Jang-Kun Song⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Jangan-Gu, Suwon, Gyeonggi-do 16419, South Korea.
² Department of Display Convergence Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Jangan-Gu, Suwon, Gyeonggi-do 16419, South Korea.
³ Department of Semicconductor and Display Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Jangan-Gu, Suwon, Gyeonggi-do 16419, South Korea.
⁴ Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Jangan-Gu, Suwon, Gyeonggi-do 16419, South Korea. Electronic address: parani.sundararajan@gmail.com.
⁵ Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Jangan-Gu, Suwon, Gyeonggi-do 16419, South Korea; Department of Display Convergence Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Jangan-Gu, Suwon, Gyeonggi-do 16419, South Korea. Electronic address: jk.song@skku.edu.

PMID: 37348332
DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2023.06.093

Abstract

Quantum-dot (QDs) polymer composite films, which are key components in recent display applications, require improved photoluminescence (PL) intensity and color conversion efficiency for better display quality and low power consumption. In this study, we developed a novel approach to improve the photoluminescence (PL) of quantum dot (QDs)-polymer nanocomposite films. This was achieved by incorporating CO₂ micropores and scattering particles into QD-embedded photopolymerizable polymer films. CO₂ micropores were generated by the decomposition of KHCO₃ in the film. The CO₂ micropores, along with the partially decomposed KHCO₃ microparticles, act as a scattering medium that increases the photon absorbance and improves the PL intensity. The effect of KHCO₃ annealing temperature on various optical properties is investigated, and it is found that a large number of uniform micropores are created in the film at an optimal temperature, 110 ℃. Compared to an ordinary QD-polymer film, the PL of the QD-hybrid-foamed polymer film increases by 4.2 times. This method is fast and economically efficient, and provides insights into the design of high-performance optoelectronic devices.

Keywords: CO(2) micropores; Color conversion efficiency; Polymer-nanocomposite films; Quantum dots; Scattering particles.