Aiming to Address Resource and Environmental Challenges with Next-Generation OLED Materials Using Iron Catalysts

TSK Corporation is collaborating with Samsung Display Co., Ltd. on the full-scale development of blue OLED display materials.

TSK’s proprietary iron catalyst technology has been highly recognized by Samsung Display. A joint research paper authored by TSK, Samsung Display, and a professor from a Korean university has been published in the international academic journal Communications Materials.

This collaboration marks the first time that Samsung Display has selected a venture company as a joint development partner.

Iron’s Potential as an Alternative to the Scarce Resource Palladium
TSK is engaged in the development of functional materials using iron catalysts.

Traditionally, palladium catalysts have been used in the synthesis of OLED materials. However, palladium is a rare metal primarily sourced from Russia and South Africa.
In addition to challenges related to procurement and high cost, environmental pollution during refining has raised sustainability concerns.

As an alternative, TSK has established a proprietary, environmentally friendly chemical process that uses iron—a naturally abundant metal—as a catalyst in place of palladium.
This process not only enables significant simplification of reaction steps (step-saving synthesis), but also allows the construction of molecular structures that were previously difficult to synthesize using palladium.

TSK has already succeeded in synthesizing an original compound that shows promise as a key structural component of organic electroluminescent (EL) materials, with performance evaluated as exceeding that of existing products.

Objectives of the Joint Development
Through this collaboration, Samsung Display and TSK aim to achieve both high efficiency and long lifespan in blue OLEDs—a display technology long considered technically challenging.

By enhancing R&D on compounds utilizing iron catalysts and exploring optimal materials, the two companies will accelerate the practical realization of more sustainable, high-performance display materials.