Competitor To LEDs Could Soon Have A Better Lifespan

The disadvantage of LEDs is that they are complex, multi-layered devices that require high-vacuum and high temperature techniques for their preparation. They also need to be rigorously protected from exposure to air or water. LECs are much simpler devices, comprising only one layer of active material, which can be solution-processed in ambient conditions, but they are terrifically expensive and have such short lifetimes that they are not a serious alternative for the mass market. Basel and Valencia teams created LECs with lifetimes exceeding 2,500 hours using molecular components stabilized by so-called aromatic rings.