Open AccessRole of Linker Functionality in Polymers Exhibiting Main‐Chain Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence
Author(s) -
Philipps Kai,
Ie Yutaka,
Zee Bas,
Png RuiQi,
Ho Peter K. H.,
Chua LayLay,
del Pino Rosendo Esther,
Ramanan Charusheela,
Wetzelaer GertJan A. H.,
Blom Paul W. M.,
Michels Jasper J.
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
advanced science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.388
H-Index - 100
ISSN - 2198-3844
DOI - 10.1002/advs.202200056
Subject(s) - chromophore , polymer , oled , materials science , monomer , alkyl , conjugated system , electroluminescence , fluorescence , quantum efficiency , acceptor , photochemistry , polymerization , polymer chemistry , optoelectronics , chemistry , nanotechnology , organic chemistry , optics , physics , layer (electronics) , composite material , condensed matter physics
Abstract Excellent performance has been reported for organic light‐emitting diodes (OLEDs) based on small molecule emitters that exhibit thermally activated delayed fluorescence. However, the necessary vacuum processing makes the fabrication of large‐area devices based on these emitters cumbersome and expensive. Here, the authors present high performance OLEDs, based on novel, TADF polymers that can be readily processed from a solution. These polymers are based on the acridine‐benzophenone donor–acceptor motif as main‐chain TADF chromophores, linked by various conjugated and non‐conjugated spacer moieties. The authors’ extensive spectroscopic and electronic analysis shows that in particular in case of alkyl spacers, the properties and performance of the monomeric TADF chromophores are virtually left unaffected by the polymerization. They present efficient solution‐processed OLEDs based on these TADF polymers, diluted in oligostyrene as a host. The devices based on the alkyl spacer‐based TADF polymers exhibit external quantum efficiencies (EQEs) ≈12%, without any outcoupling‐enhancing measures. What's more, the EQE of these devices does not drop substantially upon diluting the polymer down to only ten weight percent of active material. In contrast, the EQE of devices based on the monomeric chromophore show significant losses upon dilution due to loss of charge percolation.