Dual‐Mode Flexible Electrophoretic E‐Paper with Integration of Alternating Current Electroluminescent Technology for Ubiquitous Ambient Light Applications

Abstract

Reflective e‐paper displays show promising prospects with the increasing demand for energy‐efficient and sustainable technologies. However, the intrinsic incapability to display in dark environments hinders their broader application, and it is significantly important to enable reflective displays to achieve good display effects under various lighting conditions. Here, a flexible dual‐mode display device is proposed, which can demonstrate both reflective and emissive modes and achieve swift and straightforward mode switching by altering the driving waveforms. The single display layer of the device is formed by uniformly dispersing microcapsules and electroluminescent powder within the waterborne polyurethane dielectric matrix, which exhibits a reflective contrast ratio of 5.6 and a maximum luminance of 107.5 cd m−2. At the same time, the device possesses the merits of fast response speed at the millisecond level, high‐performance stability, and good mechanical robustness. Besides, through the waveform design, a reflection‐emission hybrid mode is proposed for more diverse display effects. Furthermore, a concept of dual‐mode contrast ratio is established, which further pinpoints the reflection‐emission transition points, thereby prompting the balance between energy‐saving and watching experience.