Bipolar Host Materials for Organic Light‐Emitting Diodes

It is important to balance holes and electrons in the emitting layer of organic light‐emitting diodes to maximize recombination efficiency and the accompanying external quantum efficiency. Therefore, the host materials of the emitting layer should transport both holes and electrons for the charge balance. From this perspective, bipolar hosts have been popular as the host materials of thermally activated delayed fluorescent devices and phosphorescent organic light‐emitting diodes. In this review, we have summarized recent developments of bipolar hosts and suggested perspectives of host materials for organic light‐emitting diodes.     

Phosphine Sulfide-Based Bipolar Host Materials for Blue Phosphorescent Organic Light-Emitting Diodes

Three phosphine sulfide-based bipolar host materials, viz CzPhPS, DCzPhPS, and TCzPhPS, were facilely prepared through a one-pot synthesis in excellent yields. The developed hosts exhibit superior thermal stabilities with the decomposition temperatures (T_d) all exceeding 350 °C and the melting temperatures (T_m) over 200 °C. In addition, their triplet energy (E_T) levels are estimated to be higher than 3.0 eV, illustrating that they are applicable to serve as hosts for blue phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes (PhOLEDs). The maxima luminance, current efficiency (CE), power efficiency (PE), and external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 17,223 cd m⁻², 36.7 cd A⁻¹, 37.5 lm W⁻¹, and 17.5% are achieved for the blue PhOLEDs hosted by CzPhPS. The PhOLEDs based on DCzPhPS and TCzPhPS show inferior device performance than that of CzPhPS, which might be ascribed to the deteriorated charge transporting balance as the increased number of the constructed carbazole units in DCzPhPS and TCzPhPS molecules would enhance the hole-transporting ability of the devices to a large extent. Our study demonstrates that the bipolar hosts derived from phosphine sulfide have enormous potential applications in blue PhOLEDs, and the quantity of donors should be well controlled to exploit highly efficient phosphine sulfide-based hosts.     

Benzimidazobenzothiazole‐Based Bipolar Hosts to Harvest Nearly All of the Excitons from Blue Delayed Fluorescence and Phosphorescent Organic Light‐Emitting Diodes

Much effort has been devoted to developing highly efficient organic light‐emitting diodes (OLEDs) that function through phosphorescence or thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF). However, efficient host materials for blue TADF and phosphorescent guest emitters are limited because of their requirement of high triplet energy levels. Herein, we report the rigid acceptor unit benzimidazobenzothiazole (BID‐BT), which is suitable for use in bipolar hosts in blue OLEDs. The designed host materials, based on BID‐BT, possess high triplet energy and bipolar carrier transport ability. Both blue TADF and phosphorescent OLEDs containing BID‐BT‐based derivatives exhibit external quantum efficiencies as high as 20 %, indicating that these hosts allow efficient triplet exciton confinement appropriate for blue TADF and phosphorescent guest emitters.     

Decoration of Dibenzofuran Using Cyanocarbazole via 6‐Position as a Molecular Design Approach for High‐Triplet‐Energy Bipolar Host Materials

In this study, two new dibenzofuran derivatives featuring one or two cyanocarbazole units, 6‐(dibenzo[b,d]furan‐4‐yl)‐9‐phenyl‐9H‐carbazole‐3‐carbonitrile ( mBFCzCN) and 6,6′‐(dibenzo[b,d]furan‐4,6‐diyl)bis(9‐phenyl‐9H‐carbazole‐3‐carbonitrile) ( dBFCzCN ), were developed as host materials for phosphorescent organic light emitting diodes (PhOLEDs). A new molecular design connecting the cyanocarbazole to the dibenzofuran using the cyanocarbazole 6‐position instead of its 9‐position was created, and the effects of number of cyanocarbazole units in the dibenzofuran building block on the photophysical and electroluminescence properties were investigated in detail. The mBFCzCN compound revealed high triplet energy (2.78 eV) than that of dBFCzCN (2.68 eV) and good bipolar charge transporting properties. The potential of these materials as hosts for blue and green PhOLEDs was investigated using bis(4,6‐(difluorophenyl)pyridinato‐N,C^2′)picolinate iridium(III) (FIrpic) and tris(2‐phenylpyridinato)iridium(III) (Ir(ppy)₃) dopants, respectively. The results indicated that the mBFCzCN with one cyanocarbazole unit showed better device performance than the dBFCzCN with two cyanocarbazole units in the blue and green devices. High external quantum efficiencies of 19.0 and 21.2 % were demonstrated in the blue and green PhOLEDs with the mBFCzCN host due to its high triplet energy and good bipolar charge transporting characteristics.     

一种联咔唑类双极性蓝色磷光主体材料的合成及性能

以联咔唑作为电子给体,二苯基磷氧基团作为电子受体,设计合成了双极性蓝色磷光主体材料6,6'-二(二苯基磷氧基)-9,9'-二己基-3,3'-联咔唑(DPDBC)。通过紫外-可见(UV-Vis)、荧光、低温磷光、循环伏安法、热重分析(TGA)、差热分析(DSC)和密度泛函理论(DFT)对其性能及轨道能级等进行了研究。结果表明,化合物DPDBC在CH₂Cl₂稀溶液中有两个吸收峰,最大吸收峰位于306 nm;它的荧光发射峰位于420 nm,属于深蓝色荧光;DPDBC的低温磷光光谱的第一发射峰位于447 nm,其三重态能级为2.77 eV,与蓝色磷光客体材料FIrpic (2.62 eV)的能级相匹配;测定其循环伏安特性曲线,计算得到它的HOMO能级为-5.48 eV,与阳极ITO的功函(-4.5~-5.0 eV)相匹配,LUMO能级为-2.36 eV,接近于电子传输材料PBD(-2.82 eV),表明它具有双极性能;TGA显示其分解温度为410℃,表明热稳定性能优良,DSC显示其T_g温度为140℃,表明其具有无定形态结构及良好的成膜性能。因此,DPDBC是一种集双极性传输性能于一体,同时又具有优良热稳定性能的潜在蓝色磷光主体材料。     

2,5‐Difluorenyl‐Substituted Siloles for the Fabrication of High‐Performance Yellow Organic Light‐Emitting Diodes

2,3,4,5‐Tetraarylsiloles are a class of important luminogenic materials with efficient solid‐state emission and excellent electron‐transport capacity. However, those exhibiting outstanding electroluminescence properties are still rare. In this work, bulky 9,9‐dimethylfluorenyl, 9,9‐diphenylfluorenyl, and 9,9′‐spirobifluorenyl substituents were introduced into the 2,5‐positions of silole rings. The resulting 2,5‐difluorenyl‐substituted siloles are thermally stable and have low‐lying LUMO energy levels. Crystallographic analysis revealed that intramolecular π–π interactions are prone to form between 9,9′‐spirobifluorene units and phenyl rings at the 3,4‐positions of the silole ring. In the solution state, these new siloles show weak blue and green emission bands, arising from the fluorenyl groups and silole rings with a certain extension of π conjugation, respectively. With increasing substituent volume, intramolecular rotation is decreased, and thus the emissions of the present siloles gradually improved and they showed higher fluorescence quantum yields (Φ_F=2.5–5.4 %) than 2,3,4,5‐tetraphenylsiloles. They are highly emissive in solid films, with dominant green to yellow emissions and good solid‐state Φ_F values (75–88 %). Efficient organic light‐emitting diodes were fabricated by adopting them as host emitters and gave high luminance, current efficiency, and power efficiency of up to 44 100 cd m^?2, 18.3 cd A^?1, and 15.7 lm W^?1, respectively. Notably, a maximum external quantum efficiency of 5.5 % was achieved in an optimized device.     

A Bipolar Transporter as an Efficient Green Fluorescent Emitter and Host for Red Phosphors in Multi‐ and Single‐Layer Organic Light‐Emitting Diodes

Multifunctional donor–acceptor compound 4,4′‐bis(dibenzothiophene‐S,S‐dioxide‐2‐yl)triphenylamine ( DSTPA ) was obtained by linking a strongly electron‐withdrawing core and a strongly electron‐donating core with a biphenyl bridge in linear spatial alignment. DSTPA not only has suitable HOMO and LUMO levels for easily accepting both holes and electrons, it was also demonstrated to have a high fluorescence quantum yield of 0.98 and a high triplet energy level of 2.39 eV. Versatile applications of DSTPA for bipolar transport, green fluorescent emission, and sensitizing a red phosphor were systematically investigated in a series of multi‐ and single‐layer organic light‐emitting devices. In traditional multilayer devices, it shows excellent performance both in an undoped fluorescent device (used as a green emitter and achieving maximum current and power efficiencies (CE and PE) of 12.6 cd A^?1 and 9.4 Lm W^?1, respectively) and in a red phosphorescent device (used as a host and achieving maximum CE and PE of 26.4 cd A^?1 and 26.3 Lm W^?1, respectively). Furthermore, DSTPA was also simultaneously used as an emitter, a hole transporter, and an electron transporter in a single‐layer device showing CE and PE of 5.1 cd A^?1 and 4.7 Lm W^?1, respectively. A single‐layer red phosphorescent device with efficiencies of 11.7 cd A^?1 and 12.6 Lm W^?1 was obtained by doping DSTPA with a red phosphor. The performances of all of the devices in this work are comparable to the best of their corresponding classes in the literature.     

Effective Host Materials for Blue/White Organic Light‐Emitting Diodes by Utilizing the Twisted Conjugation Structure in 10‐Phenyl‐9,10‐Dihydroacridine Block

Two new 10‐phenyl‐9,10‐dihydroacridine derivatives attached by dibenzothiophene (DBT) and dibenzofuran (DBF) were synthesized. The influence of the substituents of these materials was studied by theoretical calculations (DFT calculation) and experimental measurements. Owing to the twisted N‐phenyl ring, both molecules possess sufficiently high triplet energies and are suitable as hosts for phosphorescent organic light‐emitting diodes. To evaluate the electroluminescent (EL) performance of these materials, FIrpic‐based blue PHOLEDs and two‐color white PHOLEDs (FIrpic and PO‐01 as the dopants) were fabricated using the common device structures. High external quantum efficiencies (EQE) of 21.1 % and 20.9 % for FIrpic‐based blue PHOLEDs were achieved by FPhAc and TPhAc, respectively. The white device based on the host FPhAc achieved a higher performance, with a maximum EQE of 24.7 % than the device with TPhAc as host material.     

Electronic Structure Calculations for Hole‐Transporting Triphenylamine Derivatives in Polymer Light‐Emitting Diodes

Hole‐transporting polymers based on polyethene‐triphenylamine derivatives are investigated with respect to their UV/Vis spectra. Two substituents, N‐phenyl‐1‐naphthylamine and carbazole, are examined as their respective polymer light‐emitting diodes (PLEDs) show very different luminous efficiencies. In order to identify the origin of these phenomena electronic structure calculations based on TD‐DFT were performed using monomer models of the hole‐transporting polymers. In experiment these hole‐transporting polymers show very specific differences in their absorption and emission (fluorescence and phosphorescence) spectra. The analysis of the simulated absorption and emission spectra, the MOs as well as the ground and excited state geometries give explanations for the different optical performances of the corresponding PLEDs.

     

一种苯并咪唑类双极性蓝色磷光主体材料的合成及性能

设计合成了一种基于苯并咪唑的新型双极性蓝色磷光主体材料1-苯基-2-[4-(N-咔唑基)苯基]苯并咪唑(PCPB),并对其结构进行了表征。通过紫外-可见、荧光、低温磷光光谱以及循环伏安法、热重分析、差热分析和密度泛函理论对其性能及结构进行了研究。结果表明,PCPB在CH2Cl2稀溶液中的吸收峰位于296和368 nm,发射峰位于401nm,属于深蓝色荧光;PCPB的低温(77K)磷光光谱的第一吸收峰位于452nm,其三线态能级为2.74e V,与蓝色磷光材料FIrpic(2.62e V)的能级相匹配;PCPB的HOMO主要分布在苯基咔唑单元,而LUMO主要定域在苯并咪唑环上。其HOMO能级为-5.54e V,与阳极ITO的功函(-4.5~-5.0 e V)相匹配,LUMO能级为-2.68e V,接近于电子传输材料PBD(-2.82e V)。PCPB表现出双极传导性能,且热稳定性良好。     

三嗪类双极性蓝色磷光主体材料的合成及性能

设计合成了一种基于三嗪类的新型双极性蓝色磷光主体材料[4-(4,6-二-α-萘氧基-1,3,5-三嗪-2-基)苯基]9-咔唑(NOTPC),并对其结构进行了表征。通过紫外-可见(UV-Vis)吸收、荧光、低温磷光、循环伏安法、热重分析(TGA)、差热分析(DSC)和密度泛函理论(DFT)对其性能及结构进行了研究。结果表明,NOTPC在CH₂Cl₂稀溶液中的吸收峰位于341和374 nm;发射峰位于478 nm;NOTPC的低温(77 K)磷光光谱的第一发射峰位于442 nm,其三线态能级为2.80 eV,与蓝色磷光材料FIrpic(2.62 eV)的能级相匹配;NOTPC的HOMO主要分布在苯基咔唑单元,而LUMO主要定域在三嗪环上。其HOMO能级为-5.40 eV,与阳极ITO的功函(-4.5~-5.0 eV)相匹配,LUMO能级为-2.32 eV,接近于电子传输材料PBD(-2.82 eV),NOTPC表现出双极传导性能, 且热稳定性良好。     

Supramolecular Sky‐Blue Phosphorescent Polymer Iridium Complexes for Single‐Emissive‐Layer Organic Light‐Emitting Diodes

Novel supramolecular phosphorescent polymers (SPPs) are synthesized as a new class of solution‐processable electroluminescent emitters. The formation of these SPPs takes advantage of the efficient non‐bonding assembly between bis(dibenzo‐24‐crown‐8)‐functionalized iridium complex monomer and bis(dibenzylammonium)‐tethered co‐monomer, which is monitored by ¹H NMR spectroscopy and viscosity measurements. These SPPs show good film morphology and an intrinsic glass transition with a T_g of 94–116 °C. Noticeably, they are highly photoluminescent in solid state with quantum efficiency up to ca. 78%. The photophysical and electroluminescent properties are strongly dependent on the molecular structures of the iridium complex monomers.

     

Molecular Topology Tuning of Bipolar Host Materials Composed of Fluorene‐Bridged Benzimidazole and Carbazole for Highly Efficient Electrophosphorescence

Two new molecules, CzFCBI and CzFNBI , have been tailor‐made to serve as bipolar host materials to realize high‐efficiency electrophosphorescent devices. The molecular design is configured with carbazole as the hole‐transporting block and N‐phenylbenzimidazole as the electron‐transporting block hybridized through the saturated bridge center (C9) and meta‐conjugation site (C3) of fluorene, respectively. With structural topology tuning of the connecting manner between N‐phenylbenzimidazole and the fluorene core, the resulting physical properties can be subtly modulated. Bipolar host CzFCBI with a C connectivity between phenylbenzimidazole and the fluorene bridge exhibited extended π conjugation; therefore, a low triplet energy of 2.52 eV was observed, which is insufficient to confine blue phosphorescence. However, the monochromatic devices indicate that the matched energy‐level alignment allows CzFCBI to outperform its N‐connected counterpart CzFNBI while employing other long‐wavelength‐emitting phosphorescent guests. In contrast, the high triplet energy (2.72 eV) of CzFNBI imparted by the N connectivity ensures its utilization as a universal bipolar host for blue‐to‐red phosphors. With a common device configuration, CzFNBI has been utilized to achieve highly efficient and low‐roll‐off devices with external quantum efficiency as high as 14 % blue, 17.8 % green, 16.6 % yellowish‐green, 19.5 % yellow, and 18.6 % red. In addition, by combining yellowish‐green with a sky‐blue emitter and a red emitter, a CzFNBI ‐hosted single‐emitting‐layer all‐phosphor three‐color‐based white electrophosphorescent device was successfully achieved with high efficiencies (18.4 %, 36.3 cd A^?1, 28.3 lm W^?1) and highly stable chromaticity (CIE x=0.43–0.46 and CIE y=0.43) at an applied voltage of 8 to 12 V, and a high color‐rendering index of 91.6.     

High‐Performance Organic Electroluminescence: Design from Organic Light‐Emitting Materials to Devices

Organic electroluminescence is considered as the most competitive alternative for the future solid‐state displays and lighting techniques owing to many advantages such as self‐luminescence, high efficiency, high contrast, high color rendering index, ultra‐thin thickness, transparency, flat and flexibility, etc. The development of high‐performance organic electroluminescence has become the continuing focus of research. In this personal account, a brief overview of representative achievements in our study on the design of highly efficient novel organic light‐emitting materials (including fluorescent materials, phosphorescent iridium(III) complexes and conjugated polymers bearing phosphorescent iridium(III) complex) and high‐performance device structures together with working principles are given. At last, we will give some perspectives on this fascinating field, and also try to provide some potential directions of research on the basis of the current stage of organic electroluminescence.     

Efficient Nondoped Pure Blue Organic Light‐Emitting Diodes Based on an Anthracene and 9,9‐Diphenyl‐9,10‐dihydroacridine Derivative

Organic light‐emitting diodes (OLEDs) have been greatly developed in recent years owing to their abundant advantages for full‐color displays and general‐purpose lightings. Blue emitters not only provide one of the primary colors of the RGB (red, green and blue) display system to reduce the power consumption of OLEDs, but are able able to generate light of all colors, including blue, green, red, and white by energy transfer processes in devices. However, it remains a challenge to achieve high‐performance blue electroluminescence, especially for nondoped devices. In this paper, we report a blue light emitting molecule, DPAC‐AnPCN, which consists of 9,9‐diphenyl‐9,10‐dihydroacridine and p‐benzonitrile substituted anthracene moieties. The asymmetrically decoration on anthracene with different groups on its 9 and 10 positions combines the merits of the respective constructing units and endows DPAC‐AnPCN with pure blue emission, high solid‐state efficiency, good thermal stability and appropriate HOMO and LUMO energy levels. Furthermore, DPAC‐AnPCN can be applied in a nondoped device to effectively reduce the fabrication complexity and cost. The nondoped device exhibits pure blue electroluminescence (EL) locating at 464 nm with CIE coordinates of (0.15, 0.15). Moreover, it maintains high efficiency at relatively high luminescence. The maximum external quantum efficiency (EQE) reaches 6.04 % and still remains 5.31 % at the luminance of 1000 cd m^?2 showing a very small efficiency roll‐off.