Highly Effective Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence Emitters Based on Symmetry and Asymmetry Nicotinonitrile Derivatives

In this study, we developed two thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) emitters, ICzCN and ICzCYP, to apply to organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). These emitters involve indolocarbazole (ICz) donor units and nicotinonitrile acceptor units with a twisted donor-acceptor-donor (D-A-D) structure for small singlet (S₁) and triplet (T₁) state energy gap (ΔE_ST) to enable efficient exciton transfer from the T₁ to the S₁ state. Depending on the position of the cyano-substituent, ICzCN has a symmetric structure by introducing donor units at the 3,5-position of isonicotinonitrile, and ICzCYP has an asymmetric structure by introducing donor units at the 2,6-position of nicotinonitrile. These emitters have different properties, such as the maximum luminance (L_max) value. The L_max of ICzCN reached over 10000 cd m⁻². The external quantum efficiency (η_ext) was 14.8% for ICzCN and 14.9% for ICzCYP, and both achieved a low turn-on voltage (V_on) of less than 3.4 eV.     

Boron-containing Thermally Activated Delayed Blue Fluorescence Materials via Donor Tuning: a Theoretical Study

Based on the boron-containing thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) compound p-AC (AC: acridine) 5, 9-dioxa-13b-boranaphtho [3, 2, 1-de] anthracene ( a ), a series of new TADF molecules b1 - b4 were designed via adding two nitrogen atoms at the AC donor part. Density functional theory and time-dependent density functional theory calculations were performed on the frontier orbital energy levels, emission spectra, singlet-triplet states energy gaps (\begin{document}$ \Delta E_{\rm{ST}} $\end{document}), reverse intersystem crossing (RISC) rate constant (\begin{document}$ k_{\rm{RISC}} $\end{document}) for compounds a and b1 - b4 . Our calculation results show that the maximum emission wavelengths of b1 - b4 are significantly blue-shifted by 47 - 125 nm compared with that of a . Molecules b1 and b3 exhibit dark-blue emission, while molecules b2 and b4 display light-blue emission, indicating that these four derivatives could be potential organic light-emitting diode (OLED) candidates with blue-light emitting. Moreover, we found the RISC processes in a , b2 , and b4 can occur not only from T₁ state to S₁ state, but also from T₂ state to S₁ state significantly, while the RISC processes in b1 and b3 mainly take place via the T₂→S₁ hot exciton way. Importantly, the T₁→S₁ \begin{document}$ k_{\rm{RISC}} $\end{document} values of b2 and b4 are predicted to be two to three times of that of a , indicating enhanced TADF property. Our results not only provide two promising boron-based TADF candidates ( b2 and b4 ), but also offer useful theoretical basis for the design of blue OLED materials.     

基于给-受体结构的热活化延迟荧光材料

热活化延迟荧光（TADF）材料由于第一单线态（S₁）与三线态激发态（T₁）之间的能级差较小,使得三线态激子能够有效地系间窜越至单线态发光,实现100%的激子利用率,在有机发光二极管（OLED）等领域得到广泛应用,是目前有机电子学研究的热点之一。基于给-受体（D-A）结构构建TADF材料具有分子设计简便、易于制备、性能优异等特点,引起了人们的普遍关注。本文综述了基于D-A结构设计TADF材料的基本原则,依据给受体构筑单元的不同,概括了各类TADF材料的结构和性能特点以及在器件应用等方面的最新研究进展,最后总结了D-A结构型TADF材料尚存在的问题,并对其未来的关键研究方向进行了分析和展望。     

采用聚合物基质材料的热激活延迟荧光及其敏化器件

报道了基于热激活延迟荧光材料2, 4, 5, 6-四(9-咔唑基)-间苯二腈(4CzIPN),聚合物聚(9-乙烯基咔唑)(PVK)和小分子材料2, 2'-(1, 3-苯基)二[5-(4-叔丁基苯基)-1, 3, 4-噁二唑](OXD-7)为共主体材料的发光器件,器件的外量子效率达到13%;进一步研究4CzIPN敏化5, 6, 11, 12-四苯基并四苯(Rubrene)的器件,外量子效率达到9.2%,为未掺杂4CzIPN器件的5.4倍。通过瞬态光谱测量证实敏化器件的发光机制为F?rster能量转移,并探讨了Rubrene浓度和载流子平衡对器件发光特性的影响,推测Rubrene自聚集是限制敏化器件效率的内在原因。     

Phenoxazine-Dibenzothiophene Sulfoximine Emitters Featuring Both Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence and Aggregation Induced Emission

In this work, we demonstrate dibenzothiophene sulfoximine derivatives as building blocks for constructing emitters featuring both thermally activated delayed fluorescent (TADF) and aggregation-induced emission (AIE) properties, with multiple advantages including high chemical and thermal stability, facile functionalization, as well as tunable electron-accepting ability. A series of phenoxazine-dibenzothiophene sulfoximine structured TADF emitters were successfully synthesized and their photophysical and electroluminescent properties were evaluated. The electroluminescence devices based on these emitters displayed diverse emissions from yellow to orange and reached external quantum efficiencies (EQEs) of 5.8% with 16.7% efficiency roll-off at a high brightness of 1000 cd·m⁻².     

高分子热活化延迟荧光材料研究进展

高分子热活化延迟荧光材料能够利用热活化的反向系间窜越过程将三线态激子转变为单线态激子而发出荧光,理论上可以实现100%的内量子效率,突破了传统高分子荧光材料内量子效率不超过25%的极限,因而代表了未来低成本高效率高分子发光材料的发展方向。 近年来,高分子热活化延迟荧光材料在分子设计方面取得了重要进展,形成了主链型、侧链型和树枝状高分子热活化延迟荧光材料等材料体系,同时其器件性能得到了大幅提升,部分材料的器件效率达到了高分子磷光材料的水平。 本文从材料和器件两个方面,围绕高分子热活化延迟荧光材料的分子结构、光物理特性和器件性能,总结和评述了国内外研究者在该领域方向的研究进展,并分析了未来发展面临的机遇和挑战。     

基于铜金属有机配合物的热活化延迟荧光材料

具有热活化延迟荧光(thermally activated delayed fluorescence, TADF)特性的配合物可以同时利用单重态和三重态激子,因此发光量子效率较高,近年来受到广大科研工作者的关注。特别是铜金属有机配合物,最低单重态和最低三重态的能量差较小,又可以通过不同配体或取代基进行调节,所以具有较好TADF性能。本文根据配位原子的类型,汇总和分析了近5年具有TADF性质的铜配合物的结构特点和发光性能,并简要讨论了其在有机发光二极管(organic light-emitting diodes,OLEDs)中的潜在应用。     

高效溶液法制备延迟荧光电致发光器件研究

本文以2-[对-N,N-二苯基氨基-苯基]-S-二氧硫杂蒽酮(TXO-TPA)为发光材料, 4,4',4"-三(9-咔唑基)三苯胺(TCTA) 为主体材料, 通过溶液法与真空蒸镀相结合的工艺,制备了高效延迟荧光型电致发光器件。为了考察不同电子传输材料对器件性能的影响,分别选取TmPyPB、TPBI、BCP、Alq₃作为电子传输层制备器件,并对器件的性能进行系统的研究。结果表明:由于1,3,5-三(1-苯基-1H-苯并咪唑-2-基)苯(TPBI)具有合适的HOMO/LUMO能级、高的电子迁移率以及高的三重态能级,利于电子的传输和激子的阻挡,以其为电子传输层的器件显示出最佳的性能,器件的开启电压低至3.6 V,电流效率达到16.2 cd/A,最大的EQE达到5.97%。     

Influence of Electron Donating Ability on Reverse Intersystem Crossing Rate for One Kind of Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence Molecules

First-principles calculations are applied for investigating influence of electron donating ability of donor groups in eight thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) molecules on their geometrical structures and transition properties as well as reverse intersystem crossing (RISC) processes. Results show that the diphenylamine substitution in the donor part can slightly change the bond angle but decrease bond length between donor and acceptor unit except for the lowest triplet state (Tbegin{document}$_1$end{document}) of carbazole-xanthone molecule. As the electron donating ability of donor groups is increased, the overlap between the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) is decreased. As the diphenylamine groups are added in donor part, the delocalization of HOMO is enlarged, which brings a decreased energy gap (begin{document}$Delta E$end{document}begin{document}$_{text{S}_1text{-T}_1}$end{document}) between the lowest singlet excited state (Sbegin{document}$_1$end{document}) and Tbegin{document}$_1$end{document} state. Furthermore, with the calculated spin-orbit coupling coefficient (begin{document}$H_{text{so}}$end{document}), one finds that the larger value of begin{document}$displaystyle{frac{langle S_1|hat{H}_{text{so}}|{T}_1rangle^2}{Delta E_{text{S}_1text{-T}_1}^2}}$end{document} is, the faster the RISC is. The results show that all investigated molecules are promising candidates as TADF molecules. Overall, a wise molecular design strategy for TADF molecules, in which a small begin{document}$Delta E_{text{S}_1text{-T}_1}$end{document} can be achieved by enlarging the delocalization of frontier molecular orbitals with large separation between HOMO and LUMO, is proposed.     

Asymmetric Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence Materials Rendering High-performance OLEDs Through both Thermal Evaporation and Solution-processing

Exploring high-efficiency thermally activated delayed fluorescence(TADF) materials is of great importance regarding to organic light-emitting diode(OLED). Herein, we present a design strategy for developing asymmetric TADF materials based on a diphenyl sulfone-phenoxazine structure, resulting in efficient TADF emitters(CzPXZ and t-CzPXZ) with aggregation-induced emission properties, while t-CzPXZ is modified with tert-butyl groups. The two compounds exhibit high solid-state luminescence, efficient TADF, and significantly impressive device performances by both thermal evaporation and solution processing. For an instance, CzPXZ and t-CzPXZ enable the thermally-evaporated OLEDs with high external quantum efficiencies(EQEs) of over 20%. Meanwhile, t-CzPXZ allows the solution-processed device with a high EQE of 16.3% with low-efficiency roll-off, attributing to the enhanced molecular solubility and suppressed excitons quenching through tert-butyl modification on t-CzPXZ. The results reveal that the proposed asymmetric structure is a promising approach for developing high-efficiency TADF materials and OLEDs.     

聚合物热激活延迟荧光材料的分子设计与器件性能

聚合物热激活延迟荧光(TADF)材料应用于有机发光二极管(OLEDs)中以来,取得了飞速发展,迄今为止已经报道了多种不同分子结构及性能优异的聚合物TADF发光材料.它们具有不含重金属的化学结构、100%的理论内量子效率和易于通过溶液加工进行大面积制造的优势.本文从分子结构和发光颜色2个角度总结了不同结构TADF聚合物的研究进展,重点介绍了我们课题组在长链型TADF聚合物设计与OLEDs器件性能方面的研究工作,探究TADF聚合物颜色调控与效率提升的途径,论述了TADF聚合物存在的问题与未来发展.     

Molecular Design Tactics for Highly Efficient Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence Emitters for Organic Light Emitting Diodes

Recently, pure organic thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) emitters have attracted considerable interest from the scientific community in the field of organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) as they can theoretically realize 100 % of the internal quantum efficiency by exploiting both the singlet and triplet excitons via the reverse intersystem crossing enabled by small singlet‐triplet energy splitting. Currently, the external quantum efficiency of the TADF emitters is reaching the level of phosphorescent emitters. Therefore, the TADF approach is considered as a potential alternative to the low efficiency conventional fluorescent and expensive phosphorescent emitters. In this account, we summarized our recent development of blue and green TADF molecular designs to improve the device performances of the TADF devices.     

Modulation of Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence in Waterborne Polyurethanes via Charge‐Transfer Effect

Here, we designed several waterborne polyurethanes (WPUs) with efficient thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) via serving charge‐transfer (CT) states as a mediate bridge between singlet and triplet states to boost reverse intersystem crossing (RISC). By tuning substituents of diphenyl sulfone (DS), we found that O,O′‐ and S,S′‐substituted DS covalently incorporated in WPUs solely show typical fluorescence emission with lifetimes in the nanosecond range. Interestingly, TADF appears by replacing the substituent with the nitrogen atom, of which lifetimes are up to ≈10 microseconds and ≈1 millisecond in air and vacuum, respectively, even though the energy gap between singlet and triplet states (ΔE_ST) is still large for generating TADF. To explain this phenomenon, an energy level mode based on CT states and an ³(n‐π*) receiver state was proposed. By the rational modulation of CT states, it is possible to tune the ΔE_ST to render TADF‐based materials suitable for versatile applications.     

Design Approach of Lifetime Extending Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence Sensitizers for Highly Efficient Fluorescence Devices

In this work, a design approach of three thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) emitters to extend the device lifetime of the TADF sensitized fluorescent devices was studied. Three TADF materials, 5-{4,6-bis[4-(tert-butyl)phenyl]-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl}-2-(10,15-diphenyl-10,15-dihydro-5H-diindolo[3,2-a:3′,2′-c]carbazol-5-yl)benzonitrile (tTCNTruX), 4-[3-cyano-4-(10,15-diphenyl-10,15-dihydro-5H-diindolo[3,2-a:3′,2′-c]carbazol-5-yl)phenyl]-2,6-diphenylpyrimidine-5-carbonitrile (PCNTruX) and 4-(4-{10,15-bis[4-(tert-butyl)phenyl]-10,15-dihydro-5H-diindolo[3,2-a:3′,2′-c]carbazol-5-yl}-3-cyanophenyl)-2,6-diphenylpyrimidine-5-carbonitrile (PCNtTruX), were synthesized as sensitizers for TADF-sensitized fluorescent organic light-emitting diodes. The two tTCNTruX and PCNtTruX TADF emitters were designed to have Dexter energy transfer with blocking groups either in the donor or acceptor unit of the donor–acceptor-type TADF sensitizer. The TADF materials showed small singlet–triplet energy splitting and a high reverse intersystem crossing (RISC) rate for effective sensitization of the fluorescent emission of the fluorescent emitter. tTCNTruX- and PCNtTruX-sensitized fluorescent devices showed maximum external quantum efficiencies (EQEs) of 17.7 % and 11.5 % in the yellow and red devices, respectively, which were higher than those of TADF-sensitized devices with the corresponding TADF sensitizer without a blocking group. Moreover, the device lifetime was also extended by employing the tTCNTruX and PCNtTruX sensitizers. This work demonstrated that the tTCNTruX and PCNtTruX sensitizers are effective to improve the maximum EQE and device lifetime of TADF-sensitized fluorescent devices.     

CN-Modified Imidazopyridine as a New Electron Accepting Unit of Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescent Emitters

Two efficient thermally activated delayed fluorescent (TADF) emitters were developed by utilizing CN-modified imidazopyridine as an acceptor unit. The CN-modified imidazopyridine acceptor was combined with either an acridine donor or a phenoxazine donor through a phenyl linker to produce two TADF emitters, Ac-CNImPy and PXZ-CNImPy. The acridine-based Ac-CNImPy emitter exhibited sky-blue emission with a CIE coordinate of (0.18, 0.38), whereas the phenoxazine-donor-based PXZ-CNImPy showed greenish-yellow emission with a CIE coordinate of (0.32, 0.58). A high photoluminescence quantum yield of 80 % was observed for the PXZ-CNImPy emitter compared with 40 % for the Ac-CNImPy emitter. Organic light-emitting diodes based on the PXZ-CNImPy emitter demonstrated high external quantum efficiency of 17.0 %. Hence, the CN-modified imidazopyridine unit can be considered as a useful electron acceptor for the future design of highly efficient TADF emitters.     

White Light Luminescence from a Homo-conjugated Molecule with Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence

Luminophores with tunable emission properties are appealing due to various applications. Among those properties, thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) has been attracting enormous research interests. Herein, we synthesized a 9,9’-spirobifluorene based homo-conjugated molecule 1 , which connects a diphenylamino moiety as electron donor and a naphthalimide group as electron acceptor via 2,2’-positions of spirofluorene. Compound 1 displays dual emission behaviour with both blue and orange fluorescence. The one orange fluorescence around 555 nmshows sensitivity to oxygen and a prolonged lifetime of 284 ns in degassed toluene. Such characteristics imply TADF nature for this emission from a charge-transfer excited state. The other emission at 440 nm with blue colour displayed resistance to oxygen quenching and a normal fluorescence lifetime of 1.5 ns. Compared with control molecule, this emission band is assigned as conventional fluorescence from a localized excited state. In addition, dual emission property allows molecule 1 to be modulated to emit white photoluminescence in thin film with a CIE color coordinate of (0.25, 0.33).     

Molecular Engineering of Isomeric Benzofurocarbazole Donors for Photophysical Management of Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence Emitters

Benzofurocarbazole moieties are commonly used donor structures in the design of thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) emitters. However, only 5 H-benzofuro[3,2-c]carbazole (34BFCz) has been reported and, to the best of our knowledge, no other benzofurocarbazole derivatives have been covered in the literature. In the present study, two further benzofurocarbazole moieties, 12 H-benzofuro[3,2-a]carbazole (12BFCz) and 7 H-benzofuro[2,3-b]carbazole (23BFCz), have been synthesized to investigate the effect of the donor structure on the photophysics and device parameters of TADF emitters. Two benzofurocarbazole-derived TADF emitters, 12-(2-(4,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl)phenyl)-12 H-benzofuro[3,2-a]carbazole (o12BFCzTrz) and 7-(2-(4,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl)phenyl)-7 H-benzofuro[2,3-b]carbazole (o23BFCzTrz), have been compared with 5-(2-(4,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl)phenyl)-5 H-benzofuro[3,2-c]carbazole (oBFCzTrz). The benzofurocarbazole donor structure governs the TADF characteristics, such as charge-transfer property and emission color. The 12BFCz donor has proved to be effective in blue-shifting the emission color, and 34BFCz has proven useful for improving the external quantum efficiency (EQE). The 12BFCz-derived o12BFCzTrz showed blue-shifted color coordinates of (0.159, 0.288), compared to (0.178, 0388) for o23BFCzTrz and (0.169, 0.341) for oBFCzTrz. The 34BFCz-derived oBFCzTrz exhibited an EQE of 22.9 %, compared to 19.2 % for o12BFCzTrz and 21.1 % for o23BFCzTrz.     

Nido‐Carboranes: Donors for Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence

An approach to the design of nido‐carborane‐based luminescent compounds that can exhibit thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) is proposed. 7,8‐Dicarba‐nido‐undecaboranes (nido‐carboranes) having various 8‐R groups (R=H, Me, i‐Pr, Ph) are appended to the meta or para position of the phenyl ring of the dimesitylphenylborane (PhBMes₂) acceptor, forming donor–acceptor compounds (nido‐ m1 – m4 and nido‐ p1 – p4 ). The bulky 8‐R group and meta substitution of the nido‐carborane are essential to attain a highly twisted arrangement between the donor and acceptor moieties, leading to a very small energy splitting between the singlet and triplet excited states (ΔE_ST <0.05 eV for nido‐ m2 , ‐ m3 , and ‐ p3 ). These compounds exhibit efficient TADF with microsecond‐range lifetimes. In particular, nido‐ m2 and ‐ m3 display aggregation‐induced emission (AIE) with TADF properties.     

Integrating Time-Resolved Imaging Information by Single-Luminophore Dual Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence

The fact that the lifetime of photoluminescence is often difficult to access because of the weakness of the emission signals, seriously limits the possibility to gain local bioimaging information in time-resolved luminescence probing. We aim to provide a solution to this problem by creating a general photophysical strategy based on the use of molecular probes designed for single-luminophore dual thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF). The structural and conformational design makes the dual TADF strong in both diluted solution and in an aggregated state, thereby reducing sensitivity to oxygen quenching and enabling a unique dual-channel time-resolved imaging capability. As the two TADF signals show mutual complementarity during probing, a dual-channel means that lifetime mapping is established to reduce the time-resolved imaging distortion by 30–40 %. Consequently, the leading intracellular local imaging information is serialized and integrated, which allows comparison to any single time-resolved signal, and leads to a significant improvement of the probing capacity.     

多共振热激活延迟荧光过程的理论研究

本工作借助第一性原理和动力学演化,系统地研究了四个叔丁基-咔唑及吩噻嗪取代的硼-氮化合物(BCz-BN、2PTZ-BN、Cz-PTZ-BN和2Cz-PTZ-BN)的多共振热激活延迟荧光的高效发光机制.结果表明上述分子T₁与T₂间的内转换速率远大于其它辐射与非辐射速率,同时T₂到S₁的反向系间窜越速率也高于T₁到S₁的反向系间窜越速率,因此其多共振热激活延迟荧光过程应遵循T₁→T₂→S₁→S₀的路径.进一步动力学演化表明,T₁与T₂之间的内转换主要发生在演化初期,随着时间的推移,能量逐渐由T₂向S₁转移,并最终在S₁完成荧光发射.上述研究揭示了多共振延迟荧光的微观本质,为未来设计及合成新的多共振热激活延迟荧光分子提供了理论依据.