Opportunities for display films/coatings over the next eight years are expected to grow to nearly $10 billion in revenues by 2019, according to a new report from NanoMarkets. Although the display films business is mature, the report identifies organic light-emitting diode (OLED) displays as presenting a strong long-term market for film makers as OLEDs begin to take market share from traditional LCD strongholds such as mobile displays and televisions. 

Like LCDs, OLEDs will use antiglare/antireflection films, but their success will also boost certain kinds of specialist films.  One opportunity is films designed to increase the color uniformity of OLEDs at wider viewing angles. Another is certain kinds of polarizer films that improve the bright light readability of OLEDs.

By 2016, contrast/color enhancement films for LCDs will bring in almost $300 million.  NanoMarkets says it remains bullish on this sector because there is a growing tendency among LCD makers to shift production toward higher performance displays that urgently need these kinds of films. This shift is being driven by competition from both OLEDs and sophisticated consumers looking for a 3-D/HD visual environment. These films may also be combined with antiglare/antireflection films to create multifunctional products, reducing costs further.

Prism/brightness enhancement films are already the largest sector of the display optical film market, but are expected to see further growth.

The development and commercialization of multifunctional optical films (such as films that combine prism features with a diffuser) is a key trend. Such films can reduce the thickness of displays, as well as their cost, and make manufacturing easier. 

For additional information, visit www.nanomarkets.net.