Conducting Formulation for Organic Electronics
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-speed coating of non-conductive OSC inks in organic electronic devices can lead to electrostatic discharge and safety hazards, while adding conductive additives to avoid this often results in permanent doping, affecting device performance.
Innovation Solution
Formulations comprising OSC, non-conductive solvents, and volatile or non-reactive conductivity-enhancing additives that evaporate or do not chemically react with the OSC, maintaining low concentrations to prevent doping and ensure safe printing processes without compromising device performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If high-speed coating is used to increase productivity, then coating speed increases, but electrostatic discharge risk increases due to static charge buildup
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the electrical conductivity parameter of the ink formulation by adding conductive additives (such as salts, acids, or bases) to reach a conductivity of at least 10^-6 S/m. This parameter change allows the ink to dissipate static charge during high-speed coating processes, eliminating electrostatic discharge risks while maintaining high productivity.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If conductive additives are added to increase conductivity and prevent static charge, then electrostatic discharge is prevented, but permanent doping occurs which deteriorates OSC device performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic conductivity control where the conductive additive is present during the coating process to prevent static charge buildup, but is subsequently removed through evaporation or other removal techniques. This dynamic approach provides conductivity when needed (during coating) while eliminating it afterward to preserve OSC device performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The conductive additive is introduced preliminarily during the ink formulation and coating stages to ensure safe processing. The additive performs its conductivity-enhancing function during the coating process, and then is removed before the OSC device is finalized, thus achieving the preliminary protective action without lasting negative effects.
3Stability of the object's composition
If non-conductive solvents like o-xylene are used to maintain OSC material solubility, then material solubility is ensured, but static charge buildup occurs leading to safety hazards
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite ink formulation by combining non-conductive solvents (like o-xylene) with conductive additives. This composite approach maintains the solubility benefits of non-conductive solvents while introducing conductivity to prevent static charge buildup, thus resolving the contradiction between solubility and safety.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively prevents electrostatic discharge and maintains device performance by achieving the necessary conductivity for safe printing without permanent doping, allowing for a broader solvent selection and improved OE device production.
Implementation Method 1
the conductive additives are volatile and/or are not capable of chemically reacting with the OSC compounds... wherein the volatile additives have a boiling point or sublimation temperature of
Implementation Method 2
Adding a conductive additive to an OSC material is described in prior art as a measure to increase conductivity of the semiconductor... The conductivity of the resultant fluid should be on the order from 2x10^-6
Implementation Method 3
High speed coating of a plastic substrate with an OSC ink or fluid can lead to a build up of static charge if the fluid is not conducting. This can lead to an electrostatic discharge by arcing, and, if the solvent is flammable, result in a fire or explosion.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
The invention relates to novel formulations comprising an organic semiconductor (OSC) and a conductive additive, to their use as conducting inks for the preparation of organic electronic (OE) devices, especially organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells, to methods for preparing OE devices using the novel formulations, and to OE devices and OPV cells prepared from such methods and formulations.