Princeton University Researchers collaborate to develop LED contact lens via new 3D printing techniques. Although the lens is not intended for actual use, the development of such inventions demonstrates new possibilities for 3D printing and the integration of more diverse classes of materials.
The team successfully interwove five classes of materials including 1) emissive semiconducting inorganic nanoparticles, 2) an elastomeric matrix, 3) organic polymers as charge transport layers, 4) solid and liquid metal leads, and 5) a UV-adhesive transparent substrate layer. These materials were then integrated onto a curvilinear surface to create 3D printed Quantum Dot-based Light Emitting Diodes (QD-LEDs) capable of generating tunable color emission. The results indicate that 3D printing has the potential to use more diverse classes of materials that can be fully integrated into device components with active properties.
“This shows that we can use 3-D printing to create complex electronics including semiconductors.”
Source: Princeton University | ACS Journal
