Clay-based nanocomposite coating for flexible optoelectronics applying commercial polymers.

Transparency, flexibility, and especially ultralow oxygen (OTR) and water vapor (WVTR) transmission rates are the key issues to be addressed for packaging of flexible organic photovoltaics and organic light-emitting diodes. Concomitant optimization of all essential features is still a big challenge. Here we present a thin (1.5 μm), highly transparent, and at the same time flexible nanocomposite coating with an exceptionally low OTR and WVTR (1.0 × 10(-2) cm(3) m(-2) day(-1) bar(-1) and <0.05 g m(-2) day(-1) at 50% RH, respectively). A commercially available polyurethane (Desmodur N 3600 and Desmophen 670 BA, Bayer MaterialScience AG) was filled with a delaminated synthetic layered silicate exhibiting huge aspect ratios of about 25,000. Functional films were prepared by simple doctor-blading a suspension of the matrix and the organophilized clay. This preparation procedure is technically benign, is easy to scale up, and may readily be applied for encapsulation of sensitive flexible electronics.