Efficient and low-cost light-emitting electrochemical cells of graphene quantum dots

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Canada currently spends $35 billion for electricity. The consumption of electrical energy in the lighting sector is ca. 20%. Lighting represents the ideal playing field for saving energy and reducing greenhouse gases. Light-emitting electrochemical cells (LECs) are one of the simplest kinds of lighting devices. They consist of very thin layer of light emitting materials sandwiched by two electricity contacts and emit white light as our fluorescent tubes used for lighting upon connection of electricity. LECs consume much less power and emit light stronger than our lighting bulbs. On the other hand, carbon is rich on the earth. Graphene is a flat sheet of bonded carbon atoms or a stack of these sheets, while grapheme quantum dots (GQDs) are pieces of these sheets as small as several nanometers (nm, 1 billionth meter). GQDs are luminescent and can be used in the above LECs. This proposal addresses our strategies of making LECs, using low cost GQDs. We will develop this kind of LECs on industry standard printed circuit boards (PCBs) or flexible PCBs, which are easy to use for lighting, and have a long durability. This project extends our patent-pending technology of one-pot electrochemical preparation of luminescent GQDs to the best performance and lowest cost ones. The LECs are expected to generate greater than 10% energy efficiency. Within three years, the strategic project will deliver prototypes of LECs in 10 cm x 10 cm pieces of GQD LEC devices. The strategic project will lead to the following benefits to Canada: (a) Wealth creation including new start-ups to produce the lighting products; new business in the value chain of these new start-ups; new and attractive employment opportunities; and (b) The health and environmental benefits include those associated with the green manufacturing considerations explained in the proposal, and with the introduction of green fabrication to reduce energy consumption, global warming potential in the next 100 years (GWP100), and other environmental loads.