Researchers from the US DOE's Ames Laboratory have developed a new OLED display anode ITO alternative based on a PEDOT:PSS polymer. This material is basically not conductive and transparent enough to be used in OLEDs, but by using a multi-layered technique and special treatments the researchers were able to fabricate PEDOT:PSS OLEDs that are actually 44% more efficient than ITOs, and are transparent enough. This is in fact the most efficient transparent anode material ever developed.
PEDOT:PSS is also flexible, which means it can be used to make flexible OLED panels, unlike ITO. There's a lot of interest in replacing ITO which is expensive, not flexible and not environmental friendly. Just last month there were two interesting announcement regarding ITO alternatives in OLED lighting: Konica Minolta and NEDO's new replacement film and Heraeus' new polymer OLED HIL-E materials.
