Patterned Organic and Inorganic Composites for Electronic Applications

Carbon nanotube (CNT) and polymer composite materials were obtained using two manufacturing processes. The first method is dispersion of CNT in a solvent-doped poly(ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) solution. The composite retains high optical properties because of the polymeric system and shows improved electrical properties. The second method is in situ polymerization of ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) in the presence of CNT. This procedure assures a uniform CNT distribution in a highly conductive p-EDOT layer with reduced optical transmittance. The composites were analyzed for optical transmittance, surface energy, polarity, distribution, and resistivity, and then they were used as an anodic layer in organic light-emitting diode (OLED) manufacturing. The device performances were characterized and compared to that of conventional devices with an indium tin oxide anode. p-EDOT composite layers have shown conductivity and optical transmittance suitable to produce an OLED with a 10 cd/A efficiency.