Let there be Light (Emitting Diodes)!
Winners of the 2011 Nordic Cleantech Open, Ecospark, are developing a new generation of Light Emitting Diodes (LED). Their highly efficient lighting solution uses nanotechnology to emulate the warm colour of sunlight.
SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL: The Ecospark team with a sample of their flexible LED technology
In meeting European targets for reducing energy consumption, more efficient lighting is an important factor. From 2012, the classic but inefficient ‘incandescent’ light bulbs will be removed from all European stores, replaced by more efficient technologies such as LEDs and Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFL). This has led to many complaints. Despite the fact that incandescent light bulbs cost more in the long run (considering the electricity they consume) we continue to buy them because they are cheap and they give the warm, cozy light we are all used to. Low-energy LEDs and CFLs, on the other hand, are expensive and often radiate a colder, blue light. CFLs also contain toxic mercury – further complicating the decision for the consumer.
The market is clearly ready for a bright, new alternative, and there is a lot of research into new LED technologies all over the world. In Sweden, a research group might have come up with a solution.
It’s all in the details
Magnus Willander, a physics professor at the University of Linköping, has spent several years researching zinc oxide nanowires. These particles are so small, you could fit thousands of them side by side within the eye of a needle. Their size gives them several interesting properties, one of which is the high quality of light they are able to emit. Willander and his research group have successfully grown the nanowires on different materials such as glass and flexible plastic, using energy efficient low-temperature production techniques. Now, the research group has partnered up with Ecospark, a Swedish company that will develop the technology commercially.
Making sunshine
While traditional LEDs normally produce only one colour of light, the nanowire LEDs will produce white light, which consists of many colours. According to the Ecospark, their diodes will render colours at a quality of 93% compared to sunlight. They will be more energy efficient than today's diodes, both in production and in energy consumption when they are used. Instead of using gallium like traditional LEDs, they will use zinc – a much more abundant material. This will reduce resource depletion and make the diodes cheaper to mass-produce. This, in combination with the use of flexible substrates and the fact that they can be grown at low temperature, gives Ecospark reason to believe that their LEDs could reduce production costs to a tenth of current LED technology.
The nanowire technology has applications in several other major industries such as solar cells, life sciences and bioscience. Ecospark won the first Nordic Cleantech Open in April 2011. Read about the competition and other innovative contestants here.
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