A thin film made of graphene and a charge-inducing polymer shows promise as a replacement for transparent electrical conductors in displays. Flatscreen televisions, computers and mobile phone displays all require transparent electrical conductors to connect embedded electrical devices without obstructing back illumination. Indium tin oxide (ITO) is currently used for this purpose, but it is expensive and fragile. A low-cost alternative, based on a composite film made of graphene and a ferroelectric polymer, is now available thanks to an international research team, including researchers from the A*STAR Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE) in Singapore1.
Graphene is transparent since it consists only of a single layer of carbon atoms. “Graphene can show a high electrical conductivity and is also stronger and much more flexible than indium tin oxide, and thus could even be used for foldable displays and thin solar cells,” explains Guangxin Ni, a PhD candidate in the research team
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