Wearable electronics are expected to shine with new OLED screens that stretch without distortion

     Have you ever thought that one day your clothes, your watch, or your skin will show all kinds of information? It sounds like the stuff of science fiction, but new scientific research has brought the fantasy a little closer to reality. Researchers at the University of Chicago have developed a new type of OLED screen that can be stretched to twice its length and still maintain sharp images, opening up new possibilities for future wearable electronics and health sensors with the super-elastic OLED screen.

     OLED is short for organic light-emitting diode, a technology that uses organic molecules to produce light. OLED screens are more energy efficient and brighter than traditional LED and LCD screens, as well as thinner and softer. OLED screens are already widely used in devices such as televisions, computers, mobile phones and game consoles, making them one of the most advanced electronic display technologies. One problem with existing OLED screens, however, is that their material is fragile and doesn't handle stretching and bending well. This limits their use in wearable and implantable devices.

     To solve this problem, researchers at the University of Chicago used knowledge of molecular engineering to redesign the materials used in OLED screens. They inserted some hydrocarbon structures between the OLED molecules, making the whole chain more pliable and flexible. They also used a method called thermally-activated delayed fluorescence (TADF), which allows organic molecules to efficiently convert electrical energy into light. After many calculations and experiments, they ended up with a new type of OLED screen that can be stretched to more than twice its original length and still emit normal light and show clear images.

     The research has been published in the journal Nature Materials and has attracted the attention of the industry. The researchers say the super-flexible OLED screens could revolutionize the next generation of wearable electronics and health sensors. "This is the kind of material you need to eventually develop a really soft screen." "This work is really fundamental and I expect it will lead to a lot of technologies that we haven't thought of yet," said De Pablo, one of the team leaders.

     The researchers say they will continue to improve the new OLED screen to increase its color range and performance efficiency, and bring it up to the level of existing commercial technologies. "Our goal is to eventually reach the same level or even higher than the current state-of-the-art OLED display technology." "Said another leader of the research team