Feb 1 2007
Ciba Specialty Chemicals and VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland have agreed to a new research collaboration in the field of organic electronics. The two-year multidisciplinary project focuses on the development of novel materials and processes for printing organic electronics and aims to open up new application areas. Major funding for the collaboration is provided by Tekes, the Finnish Funding Agency for Research and Innovation.
A key advantage of organic materials over their inorganic counterparts is their printability. While most organic materials are currently applied by means of low throughput processing techniques, advances in roll-to-roll printing and compatible materials will accelerate realization of new applications for mass-market electronic devices. Potential applications include ultra-thin organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) for displays and lighting, printed organic transistors, solar cells and sensors.
“With this partnership, we are combining Ciba Specialty Chemicals’ deep expertise in organic electronic materials and VTT’s experience in printable electronics to develop a new generation of printable organic electronic materials that are compatible with different high-throughput printing processes. The aim of this multidisciplinary research is to enable ‘breakthrough applications’ in printed electronics,” says Professor Harri Kopola, Director of the Centre for Printed Intelligence at VTT.
“This collaboration strengthens Ciba Specialty Chemicals’ research network in the fast-developing field of organic electronic materials for various industries. Printable organic electronics offer great opportunities to develop new, mass-market applications. To make such applications possible, however, we need to advance our understanding of material properties, ink formulations and the compatibility of materials and systems,” says Martin Riediker, Chief Technology Officer at Ciba.
In the area of electronic materials, Ciba Specialty Chemicals develops, produces and markets advanced functional materials, including pigments, dyes, photoinitiators and light stabilizers for display, information storage and microelectronics applications. Ciba is well advanced in developing novel organic electroluminescent and semiconductor materials both on its own and with research partners. It recently announced that it is collaborating with the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research on developing novel conductive polymers for printable applications.
With its creation of the Centre for Printed Intelligence (CPI) in 2006, VTT has launched a strategic, growth-oriented initiative to generate applications and profitable business by exploiting research results more effectively. CPI is a leading roll-to-roll process developer for printed electronics and intelligence.
Ciba Specialty Chemicals and VTT have already collaborated for several years in the context of multilateral research projects exploring roll-to-roll printing processes for organic electronics.