BARRIER LAYER, COMPOSITE ARTICLE COMPRISING THE SAME, ELECTROACTIVE DEVICE, AND METHOD

• US 20080138539A1
• Filed: 12/06/2006
• Published: 06/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Erlat, Ahmet Gun, Lewis, Larry Neil, Breitung, Eric Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,781,031 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/1.1
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 2323/00 Functional layers of liquid crystal optical display excluding electroactive liquid crystal layer characterised by chemical composition
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/844 Encapsulations
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/8445 multilayered coatings having a repetitive structure, e.g. having multiple organic-inorganic bilayers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31678 Of metal
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31681 Next to polyester, polyamide or polyimide [e.g., alkyd, glue, or nylon, etc.]

Abstract

A composite article comprising a substrate and method for making the composite article are provided. A barrier layer is disposed on at least one surface of the substrate, wherein the barrier layer comprises a barrier coating and at least one repair coating disposed on the barrier coating. The repair coating is a conformal coating and comprises a metal or a metal based compound. An electroactive device and in one particular embodiment a light emitting device comprising the composite article are also provided. In another embodiment the invention comprises a barrier layer disposed on at least one surface of a substrate; wherein the barrier layer comprises a barrier coating and at least one repair coating.

Claims

1. A composite article comprising:

a substrate having a surface; and

a barrier layer disposed on at least one surface of the substrate;

wherein the barrier layer comprises a barrier coating and at least one repair coating disposed on the barrier coating, wherein the repair coating comprises a metal or a metal based compound, and wherein the repair coating is a conformal coating.

2. The composite article of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises an organic polymeric resin, a glass, a metal, a ceramic, or any combination thereof.

3. The composite article of claim 2, wherein the organic polymeric resin comprises a polyethylene terephthalate, a polyacrylate, a polycarbonate, a silicone, an epoxy resin, a silicone-functionalized epoxy resin, a polyester, a polyimide, a polyetherimide, a polyethersulfone, a polyethylene naphthalate, a polynorbornene, or a poly(cyclic olefin).

4. The composite article of claim 1, wherein the barrier coating is selected from the group consisting of organic materials, inorganic materials, ceramic materials, metals, and any combination thereof.

5. The composite article of claim 4, wherein the barrier coating is selected from the group consisting of oxides, nitrides, carbides, and borides of elements of Groups IIA, IIIA, IVA, VA, VIA, VIIA, IB, IIB, metals of Groups IIIB, IVB, VB, rare earth elements, and any combination thereof.

6. The composite article of claim 1, wherein the repair coating has a thickness in a range of from about 0.1 nm to about 10,000 nm.

7. The composite article of claim 1, wherein the metal comprises zinc, cadmium, silicon, aluminum, germanium, copper, tungsten, titanium, or tantalum.

8. The composite article of claim 1, wherein the metal based compound comprises a metal halide, a metal oxide, a metal sulfide, a metal nitride, a metal carbide, a bimetallic compound, a trimetallic compound, or any combination thereof.

9. The composite article of claim 1, wherein the barrier layer has a water vapor transmission rate through the barrier layer of less than about 1×

10<sup>−

2</sup> g/m²/day, as measured at 25°

C. and with a gas having 50 percent relative humidity.

10. The composite article of claim 1, having a light transmittance of greater than about 80% in a selected wavelength range between about 400 nanometers to about 700 nanometers.

11. The composite article of claim 1, wherein the barrier layer encapsulates the substrate and one or more other layers.

12. The composite article of claim 1, further comprising at least one planarizing layer.

13. An electroactive device comprising the composite article of claim 1.

14. The electroactive device of claim 13, comprising a flexible display device, a liquid crystalline display (LCD), a thin film transistor LCD, an electroluminescent device, a light emitting diode, a light emitting device, an organic light emitting device, a photovoltaic device, an organic photovoltaic device, an integrated circuit, a photoconductor, a photodetector, an optoelectronic device, a chemical sensor, a biochemical sensor, a component of a medical diagnostic system, an electrochromic device, or any combination thereof.

15. The electroactive device of claim 13, which is encapsulated by the barrier layer.

16. A packaging material comprising the composite article of claim 1.

17. A method of making a composite article comprising the steps of:

(i) providing a flexible substrate having a surface;

(ii) depositing a barrier coating on at least one surface of the substrate;

(iii) and forming a repair coating comprising at least one monolayer on the barrier coating by exposing the barrier coating to at least one deposition species in at least one atomic layer deposition process cycle.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein more than one atomic layer deposition process cycle is performed.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the barrier coating is deposited using plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition, radio frequency plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition, expanding thermal plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition, sputtering, reactive sputtering, electron cyclotron resonance plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition, inductively coupled plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition, evaporation, atomic layer deposition, or any combination thereof.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the deposition species comprises metal precursors, non-metal precursors, or any combination thereof.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the at least one monolayer is chemically bonded to the barrier coating.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the repair coating comprises a metal or a metal based compound.

23. The method of claim 17, which further comprises providing a planarizing layer on the substrate.

24. The method of claim 17, which employs a roll-to-roll process.

25. An article made by the method of claim 17.

26. A light emitting device comprising:

a flexible, substantially transparent substrate having a surface;

a barrier layer disposed on at least one surface of the substrate; and

at least one organic electroluminescent layer disposed between two electrodes;

wherein the barrier layer comprises a barrier coating and at least one repair coating disposed on the barrier coating, wherein the repair coating comprises a metal or a metal based compound deposited in an atomic layer deposition process.

27. The light emitting device of claim 26, wherein the substrate comprises a polyethylene terephthalate, a polyacrylate, a polycarbonate, a silicone, an epoxy resin, a silicone-functionalized epoxy resin, a polyester, a polyimide, a polyetherimide, a polyethersulfone, a polyethylene naphthalate, a polynorbornene, or a poly(cyclic olefin).

28. The light emitting device of claim 26, wherein the barrier coating is selected from the group consisting of organic materials, inorganic materials, ceramic materials, metals, and any combination thereof.

29. The light emitting device of claim 26, wherein the barrier coating is selected from the group consisting of oxides, nitrides, carbides, and borides of elements of Groups IIA, IIIA, IVA, VA, VIA, VIIA, IB, IIB, metals of Groups IIIB, IVB, VB, rare earth elements, and any combination thereof.

30. The light emitting device of claim 26, wherein the metal comprises zinc, cadmium, silicon, aluminum, germanium, copper, tungsten, titanium, or tantalum.

31. The light emitting device of claim 26, wherein the metal based compound comprises a metal halide, a metal oxide, a metal sulfide, a metal nitride, a metal carbide, a bimetallic compound, a trimetallic compound, or any combination thereof.

32. The light emitting device of claim 26, further comprising a reflective layer disposed on the organic electroluminescent layer, wherein the reflective layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of metals, metal oxides, metal nitrides, metal carbides, metal oxynitrides, metal oxycarbides, or combinations thereof.

33. The light emitting device of claim 26, wherein the organic electroluminescent layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of a poly(n-vinylcarbazole), a poly(alkylfluorene), a poly(paraphenylene), a polysilane, derivatives thereof, mixtures thereof, and copolymers thereof.

34. The light emitting device of claim 26, wherein the organic electroluminescent layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of 1,2,3-tris[n-(4-diphenylaminophenyl)phenylamino]benzene, phenylanthracene, tetraarylethene, coumarin, rubrene, tetraphenylbutadiene, anthracene, perylene, coronene, aluminum-(picolylmethylketone)-bis[2,6-di(t-butyl)phenoxides], scandium-(4-methoxy-picolylmethylketone-bis(acetylacetonate), aluminum acetylacetonate, gallium acetylacetonate, and indium acetylacetonate.

35. The light emitting device of claim 26, further comprising a light scattering layer, wherein the light scattering layer comprises scattering particles dispersed in a transparent matrix.

36. The light emitting device of claim 35, wherein the light scattering layer further comprises a photoluminescent material mixed with the scattering particles, wherein the photoluminescent material is selected from the group consisting of (Y_1-xCe_x)₃ Al₅O₁₂;

(Y_1-x-yGd_xCe_y)₃ Al₅O₁₂;

(Y_1-xCe_x)₃ (Al_1-yGa_y)O₁₂;

(Y_1-x-yGd_xCe_y) (Al_5-zGa_z)O₁₂;

(Gd_1-xCe_x)Sc₂Al₃O₁₂;

Ca₈Mg(SiO₄)₄Cl₂;

Eu²⁺,Mn²⁺;

GdBO₃;

Ce³⁺,Tb³⁺;

CeMgAl₁₁O₁₉;

Tb³⁺;

Y₂SiO₅;

Ce³⁺,Tb³⁺;

BaMg₂Al₁₆O₂₇;

Eu²⁺,Mn²⁺;

Y₂O₃;

Bi³⁺,Eu³⁺;

Sr₂P₂O₇;

Eu²⁺,Mn²⁺;

SrMgP₂O₇;

Eu²⁺,Mn²⁺;

(Y,Gd)(V,B)O₄;

Eu³⁺;

3.5MgO 0.5 MgF₂ GeO₂;

Mn⁴⁺ (magnesium fluorogermanate);

BaMg₂Al₁₆O₂₇;

Eu²⁺;

Sr₅(PO₄)₁₀Cl₂;

Eu²⁺;

(Ca,Ba,Sr)(Al,Ga)₂ S₄;

Eu²⁺;

(Ca, Ba, Sr)₅(PO₄)₁₀ (Cl,F)₂;

Eu²⁺,Mn²⁺;

Lu₃Al₅O₁₂;

Ce³⁺;

Tb₃Al₅O₁₂;

Ce³⁺; and

mixtures thereof;

wherein 0≦

x≦

1, 0≦

y≦

1, 0≦

z≦

5 and x+y. ≦

1.

37. The light emitting device of claim 35, further comprising at least one organic photoluminescent material dispersed within the light scattering layer, wherein the organic photoluminescent material is capable of absorbing at least a portion of electromagnetic radiation emitted by the organic electroluminescent layer and emitting electromagnetic radiation in a visible range.

38. The light emitting device of claim 26, wherein the organic electroluminescent structure further comprises at least one additional layer disposed between one of the two electrodes and the organic electroluminescent layer, wherein the additional layer performs at least one function selected from the group consisting of electron injection enhancement, electron transport enhancement, hole injection enhancement, and hole transport enhancement.

39. The light emitting device of claim 26, which is encapsulated by the barrier layer.

40. A composite article comprising:

a substrate having a surface; and

a barrier layer disposed on at least one surface of the substrate;

wherein the barrier layer comprises a barrier coating and at least one repair coating disposed on the barrier coating, wherein the barrier coating is selected from the group consisting of oxides, nitrides, carbides, and borides of elements of Groups IIA, IIIA, IVA, VA, VIA, VIIA, IB, IIB, metals of Groups IIIB, IVB, VB, rare earth elements, and any combination thereof;

wherein the repair coating comprises either (i) zinc, cadmium, silicon, aluminum, germanium, copper, tungsten, titanium, or tantalum, or (ii) a metal halide, a metal oxide, a metal sulfide, a metal nitride, a metal carbide, a bimetallic compound, a trimetallic compound, or any combination thereof;

wherein the barrier layer has a water vapor transmission rate through the barrier layer of less than about 1×

10<sup>−

2</sup> g/m²/day, as measured at 25°

C. and with a gas having 50 percent relative humidity, and

wherein the composite article has a light transmittance of greater than about 80% in a selected wavelength range between about 400 nanometers to about 700 nanometers.

41. An electroactive device or a packaging material comprising the composite article of claim 40.

42. A barrier layer disposed on at least one surface of a substrate;

wherein the barrier layer comprises a barrier coating and at least one repair coating comprising a metal or a metal based compound deposited on the barrier coating in an atomic layer deposition process,

wherein the barrier coating is selected from the group consisting of oxides, nitrides, carbides, and borides of elements of Groups IIA, IIIA, IVA, VA, VIA, VIIA, IB, IIB, metals of Groups IIIB, IVB, VB, rare earth elements, and any combination thereof;

wherein the repair coating comprises either (i) zinc, cadmium, silicon, aluminum, germanium, copper, tungsten, titanium, or tantalum, or (ii) a metal halide, a metal oxide, a metal sulfide, a metal nitride, a metal carbide, a bimetallic compound, a trimetallic compound, or any combination thereof; and

wherein the barrier layer has a water vapor transmission rate through the barrier layer of less than about 1×

10<sup>−

2</sup> g/m²/day, as measured at 25°

C. and with a gas having 50 percent relative humidity.