Development of an electronic paper prototype on bacterial cellulose using electrochromic systems

Various techniques were explored to develop an electronic paper prototype on bacterial cellulose. Electrochromic systems were used to demonstrate the proof of concept of a dynamic display on cellulose. Bacterial cellulose was synthesized in a culture of NQ-5 strain of Acetobacter xylinum in the standard glucose-rich (SH) medium. Bacterial cellulose thus formed was dimensionally stable, had a paper-like appearance and had a unique microfibrillar nanostructure. This bacterial cellulose was made an electrically conducting (or semi-conducting) sheet by deposition of conductors around the microfibrils to provide conducting pathways and then immobilizing electrochromic dyes into the microstructure. The whole system was then cased between transparent electrodes in three different device structures. Upon application of switching potentials (2-6V); a reversible color change was demonstrated down to a standard pixel sized area (~100μm²). The major advantages of such a prototype are its high paper-like reflectivity, flexibility, contrast, biodegradability, low power consumption etc. among many more. Ways to integrate these prototypes to full scale displays were explored. Potential future applications of this concept are E-book tablets, E-newspapers, dynamic wall papers, rewritable maps and learning tools

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science in Engineering

Level thesis:degree_level

Masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Materials Science and Engineering

Grantor

University of Texas at Austin

Year dc:date.issued

2004

Author dc:creator

• Shah, Jay, 1980-

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Brown, R. Malcolm (Richard Malcolm), 1939-

• Bacterial cellulose
• Electrochromic systems
• Electronic paper

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright © is held by the author. Presentation of this material on the Libraries' web site by University Libraries, The University of Texas at Austin was made possible under a limited license grant from the author who has retained all copyrights in the works.

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Identifier URI

http://dx.doi.org/10.26153/tsw/13457

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:repositories.lib.utexas.edu:2152/86506