Highly transparent polymer substrates for flexible displays using semi-interconnected interpenetrating polymer networks.
Semi-interconnected interpenetrating polymer networks (SIPNs) based on unsaturated polyurethane (UP) and different monomers, including styrene and acrylate with an UP ratio of 50 wt%, were synthesized. The resulting SIPN films exhibited excellent optical transparency in the visible range with > 90% transmittance at 400 nm. The glass transition temperature (Tg) varied in the range of 100 approximately 135 degrees C depending on the unsaturated monomers introduced. They also had good flexibility compared to the conventional rigid polystyrene or polyacrylate due to the homogeneously dispersed elastic urethane moiety in the SIPNs. Below the glass transition temperature (Tg) of the SIPN substrates, the ITO-grown SIPN films exhibited good electrical and optical properties, showing potential as a promising substrate in flexible display applications.
Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan 609-735, Korea.
Myeon-Cheon
MC
Choi
Mijeong
M
Han
Il
I
Kim
Chang-Sik
CS
Ha