Printed Electronics – the Missing Fragments

About 70% of the patents on printed electronics, in the broad definition, relate to OLEDs and that is out of proportion to their potential. For example, light emitting displays will probably always suffer from being more expensive, poorer in definition and more wasteful of power than the best non-emitting displays. By contrast, electrophoretic signage and e-books only need power when their images are changed. Electrochromic and thermochromic displays are inherently cheaper and they, and ac electroluminescent displays, are available in flexible form today. Printed flexible AC electroluminescent displays are even available in areas of hundreds of square meters. All displays can be improved and all have considerable unrealised market potential. There is therefore scope for many more companies to work on the other displays, because fewer than twenty companies are involved seriously today. For example, more effort in improving their colours and lifetime would be well justified.