Electron Beam Curing Technology for Very High-Throughput Manufacturing of Flexible Alternating Current Powder Electroluminescent Devices

Abstract

Thick-film alternating current powder-based electroluminescent (ACPEL) succeeds on the market as mature technology for large-area light sources. An additional boost for its development may come from the radiation curing technology. Since it is totally compatible with high-speed roll-to-roll processing, radiation curing can offer multiple advantages to further lower costs and make easier the fabrication process of ACPEL devices. In this paper, the application of the electron beam (EB) curing technology to produce flexible ACPEL devices was explored for the first time. In particular, devices with emitting layer made by EB irradiation were successfully fabricated on poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) substrate. Device properties were evaluated and compared with those obtained using the conventional ultraviolet curing process. Smaller driving voltages and higher luminous output were observed for the EB treated samples as a consequence of a more cross-linked polymeric binder of the emitting layer generated. In addition, possible effects of EB overdose were also investigated; experiments revealed that excessively high doses can induce the degradation of both polymeric binder and emitting particles. Therefore, the feasibility of using the EB curing was proven to fabricate ACPEL devices, launching it as the next future technology for more sustainable, very fast, and one-step manufacturing of powder-based alternating current EL devices.