"Energy efficiency in lighting devices is an active area of technology, aiming to reduce the growing human energy demand. Governmental regulations in industrialized countries call for a complete ban of ‘incandescent’ electric light sources by 2020, to be replaced by more energy-efficient light sources such as devices based on light-emitting diodes (LED). At present, however, technology is needed that provides 'high quality' white light with a continuous emission spectrum at the required energy efficiency. In this context, the proposed project aims to develop polymer-based 'color conversion films'. These films are supposed to be combined with blue LED light sources in order to produce cost-effective, energy-efficient, novel lighting devices with high white light quality. For this purpose, the color conversion films will utilize a combination of two to four photochemically and thermally stable, polymer-substituted organic fluorescent dyes with complementary absorption and emission profiles. These dyes will be embedded into a polyisobutylene (PIB) matrix to protect them from 'photo-bleaching' in the presence of water or oxygen. We will investigate the use of 'encapsulation layers' to further increase the device life time, and the application of an 'optical out-coupling' layer to enhance its efficiency. The goal of the project is to address the remaining technological issues and provide a ‘proof of concept’ that multilayer films from the fluorescent dyes in PIB can be used to obtain inexpensive and durable color conversion films to ‘down-convert’ the emission from a blue LED light source into white light with a continuous emission spectrum. A prototype color conversion film will ultimately be prepared by depositing layers of materials onto a polymer support, including the active color conversion layer, optical in- and out-coupling layers to increase the efficiency of light emission, and encapsulation layers to further shield the color conversion layer."