Interviews
Umamahesh Balijapalli
Material Development Group of R&D department
I am happy to join such a promising company with talented researchers

Before I joined Kyulux, I worked as a TADF researcher at Prof. Adachi’s Laboratory (OPERA), Kyushu University. When the opportunity arrived to join Kyulux, a fast-growing OLED material developer, I was very excited and eager to use my experience to promote the company’s goals. I’m aware that my new position will require a great deal of hard work, but I am excited to learn new skills and join this highly talented and innovative group of scientists.

Hands-on design of new materials, at Kyulux I am doing more than just pure science

My main responsibility at Kyulux is the design, synthesis, and characterization of various OLED layer materials. To be specific, the following list summarizes my main tasks and goals:

  1. Use scientific tools and software to implement advanced design methods and easy synthesis routes.
  2. Improve Kyulux’s synthesis methods. My goal is to make our processes easier to handle, more cost effective and improve yields.
  3. Enhance Kyulux’s emitter purity, by using various methods such as column chromatographic techniques, recrystallization, and vacuum sublimation etc.
  4. Use analytical tools, such as nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), mass spectroscopy, and elemental analysis to perform structure analysis of emitters.
  5. Use High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to attain high material purity with an aim to improve the performance and stability.
  6. Support the development of Kyulux’s testing and characterization systems.
  7. Study the photophysical characteristics of new materials through the evaluation of basic properties (optical and electrical) and collaborate with colleagues to design new materials for customers.
Industry requirements are our top priority

When working at an academic research laboratory, it is easy to develop novel materials using basic science. However, working at a company, we need to consider many key parameters that should meet industry requirements, and developed materials that can work in the real time applications. Customers require materials are developed which offer good efficiency, excellent color purity, and exceptional durability.

To reach customer target, we use our in-house high-throughput Material Informatics simulation system called Kyumatic. We also collaborate with various teams at Kyulux, researchers from the academia and other commercial research labs in order to investigate advanced OLED concepts and technologies.

As a group leader, it is my role to provide guidance and direction to my team members. I am in charge of supervising and monitoring my team, writing scientific research patents, managing the handling of materials and make sure everybody adheres to our performance standards.

Kyulux encourages my professional growth as one of its family of employees

We have more than 80 members in Kyulux. Kyulux’s HR invests a lot of thought and resources into the well being of employees: it plans social activities, organizes sporting events, encourages a friendly culture, and takes of care of holidays and working hours, so we can all enjoy good work-life balance.

I personally find communicating my Japanese colleagues a bit of a challenge, but we can all understand each other through scientific language so we get along great. It feels to me that all of Kyulux’s staff care about me as a person, and also support my professional growth. As we are all committed to making our customers happy and achieving shared goals, there is a genuine spirit of cooperation that I have not seen in other places.

ONE TEAM

We all have the same vision and we’re truly united as a team

I love my job because everyone shares the same vision and is dedicated to the mission. This truly creates a family environment where everybody is there for each other.

I would like to see Kyulux’s products used in future OLED devices, and the expansion of TADF/Hyperfluorescence™ technology into a variety of new applications such as inkjet printing technology, photodetectors, sensors, biomarkers and more.

In the far future, I dream to work as lead OLED chemist role in optoelectronics industry. Perhaps later I will be able to move back to India and launch my own startup company.