To Lead the Market for Next-generation Displays
LG Chem has acquired the core technology for soluble OLEDs, which are expected to lead the next-generation display market.
Soluble OLED displays are called next-generation displays because of their low recoding rate and high color gamut. Global display manufacturers are currently conducting resarch and development to overcome technical barriers. The display industry is forecasting that soluble OLED displays will be mass-produced within the next five years.
LG Chem announced on April 2 that it has acquired soluble OLED material technology from DuPont. The scope of the deal includes all of tangible assets including DuPont's soluble OLED materials technology and know-how, intangible assets including 540 material and process patents and research and production facilities. Both sides agreed to put the acquisition price under wraps.
Soluble OLED displays are produced by putting soluble materials on a panel using inkjet printing technology. This method maximizes color gamuts while minimizing the loss of materials compared to deposition-type OLED displays. Currently, manufacturers produce commonly used deposition-type OLED displays by attaching materials on OLED panels after heating them in vacuum state and evaporating them.
The technology that LG Chem acquired this time is related to materials. LG Chem has been conducting full-scale R&D activities on OLED materials since 2015 and has secured high technology in the field of common layers for injecting and delivering holes and electrons into OLED materials.