A group of leading Australian scientists have come together to further the development of lower-cost, flexible optoelectronic  devices that promises to transform the country’s consumer electronics industry.

 

The Transparent Electrodes for Plastic Electronics Research Cluster brings together leading scientists from the University of Queensland, the University of Technology Sydney and Flinders University.

 

With over $3 million in funding contributed to the research cluster by CSIRO Flagship Collaboration Fund and a further $3 million from the partnering Universities, the project will run until June 2014.

 

One of the cluster’s key goals is to produce cheap, flexible optoelectronic devices such as displays and lighting based on organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), solar cells, plastic electronics and sensors – technologies for use in products ranging from plastic solar cells to flexible televisions.

 

Dr Calum Drummond, Group Executive of CSIRO Manufacturing, Materials and Minerals, said the research cluster provided a new and very unique combination of skills and technical capability in Australia.

 

 “The cluster consists of leading Australian scientists with individual specialist skills in areas such as nanoscience, thin film deposition and characterisation, chemical physics and electrical engineering,” he said.

 

“This is a novel partnership and one which is essential to the development of new commercial products such as plastic solar cells, solid-state lighting, flexible TV screens, computer displays and beyond,” said Dr Drummond.