We have developed a spray-type encapsulation method for quantum dot light-emitting diode (QD-LED) displays designed to prevent the penetration of oxygen and moisture in ambient air and repel water. The non-wettability and oxygen/moisture repellency afforded by the super-hydrophobic (contact angle of similar to 158 degrees) self-assembled Al2O3 nanoparticles (SAM-NP) is attributed to a reduction in the number of defects sites such as pin-holes or cracks during the formation of the thin-film. The QD-LEDs with SAM-NP encapsulation were found to have an effective lifetime in ambient air and a stable light emission in water compared to those of equivalent QD-LEDs without encapsulation. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.