Sumitomo Chemical to Acquire Lumation LEPs from Dow

18-May-2005

Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd. and The Dow Chemical Company announced that Sumitomo Chemical has purchased the LUMATION* Light-Emitting polymers (LEPs) business from Dow. Financial terms were not disclosed. Sumitomo Chemical's acquisition of LUMATION LEPs will strengthen the company's LEP technology-based business, in line with its strategy.

Sumitomo Chemical has developed fluorescent and phosphorescent LEPs based on the company's long-established display material and conducting polymer technology. Sumitomo Chemical's blue-color material achieved 10,000 hours of brightness half-life. The material is ideal for a printing method, a much simpler and more cost effective production process for large-sized displays than the vacuum deposition method used for small-molecular OLEDs. The company is also developing highly efficient new materials such as dendrimers in cooperation with Cambridge Display Technology Limited, a U. K. company.

LEPs are the critical light-emitting material in polymeric light-emitting diodes (pLEDs), which are one class of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). The pLED technology offers many performance benefits over other technologies, such as Liquid Crystal Displays. pLEDs do not require a backlight and enable high-resolution, wide-viewing angle, high contrast, low-voltage emissive displays. LEPs allow for the cost-effective production of both passive and active matrix, monochromatic, area color, and full color displays. Applications for pLED technology will include televisions, instrument panels and portable electronics such as mobile phones, digital cameras, camcorders, and personal digital assistants (PDAs), and MP3 players.

The purchase includes technology assets associated with LUMATION LEPs. To ensure a smooth transfer of technology and avoid disruption to development partners and customers, the two companies have agreed to cooperate in transitional period activities.

https://www.chemeurope.com/en/news/46007/sumitomo-chemical-to-acquire-lumation-leps-from-dow.html