This week at CES Pixelligent Technologies will debut its PixJet formulated products for next-generation displays. With breakthrough refractive index values ranging from 1.65 to 1.72 for superior optical performance, the first target applications for these ink-jettable formulations include OLED, QLED, MicroLED, and 3D displays, as well as Extended Reality applications. It is the latest release from the company that invented PixClear® Designer Compounds®, the nano-materials that boost the efficiency and sustainability of consumer electronics devices and a range of other applications.
Two converging trends drove the development of the PixJet products: The first is surging demand for advanced displays fueled by new smart phones, smart watches, tablets, and other category-defining devices. The market for OLED displays alone is expected to grow annually by nearly 14 percent and reach US$73 billion by 2026.The second trend is the adoption of inkjet printing as a mass-production tool for the advanced displays.
Legacy display manufacturing technologies rely on polymer-based materials with typical refractive indices (RIs) of 1.5. Refractive values influence brightness, operating efficiencies, and overall performance. A higher RI material can increase the light extraction of a display by up to 20 percent, which correlates with a similar increase in battery life, and a significant decrease in the heat of devices. Until now, there has been a lack of inks that can deliver a combination of inkjet performance and the high RI required for next-generation displays.
The PixJet products deliver RIs ranging from 1.65 to 1.72. They are designed for inkjet mass production. The values are achieved while maintaining standard liquid inkjet printing properties, as well as robust UV-curable film characteristics that are essential for OLED displays. The products can be applied with leading inkjet tools, including those provided by Pixelligent’s partner, Kateeva.
“Demand for high-index materials has escalated as product designers and manufacturers race to overcome formidable optical performance and efficiency challenges for next-generation displays,” said Craig Bandes, Pixelligent’s President and CEO. “Thanks to our focused R&D strategy we can deliver with a truly disruptive solution that exceeds even our own internal refractive value targets. As the world stage for display-enabled product debuts, CES 2023 is a natural launch venue for our PixJet family. We are proud to play an enabling role in the ecosystem with our nano-materials.”
Production of the PixJet products has already begun at Pixelligent’s manufacturing facility in Baltimore. Thanks to $38 million in fresh funding secured last November, the first commercial products will be available to customers this quarter. They expand the company’s portfolio of formulated products that also include PixNIL® for nano-imprint lithography and thin-film applications.
The PixJet product line is available in solvent-containing and solvent-free versions and covers a broad range of high-refractive indices to match customer requirements. PixJet products can be used to create high-index films with excellent optical performance and robust mechanical properties.
