High gas barrier has been the major issue for the substrates of flexible displays because a minute amount of water vapor and oxygen penetrated into the substrates is detrimental to the displays based on organic light emitting diodes.

Prof. Choon Sup Yoon in KI for IT Convergence, in collaboration with Prof. Jin Hae Jang in Kumoh National Institute of Technology, developed a novel way of reducing the gas permeability of plastic substrates by three-orders of magnitude, which will have a considerable impact on flexible displays and food packaging industry. Plate-like nanoparticles dispersed in plastic films were exfoliated and oriented to provide tortuous paths for gas molecules to go through the film, thereby reducing the gas permeability dramatically.

This method insures high gas barrier property, high mechanical flexibility, and high optical transmittance which are the requirements for the substrates of flexible displays. Not only major display manufacturers but also several food packaging companies show strong interests because the method can get rid of aluminium coatings in food packaging materials and therefore can lower the production cost.

The discussion for technology transfer is in progress based on two patents.