Flexible Ink-Jet Printed Polymer Light-Emitting Diodes using a Self-Hosted Non-Conjugated TADF Polymer

Macromol Rapid Commun. 2023 Jun;44(12):e2300015. doi: 10.1002/marc.202300015. Epub 2023 Apr 26.

Abstract

Thermally activated delayed fluorescent (TADF) emitters have become the leading emissive materials for highly efficient organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). The deposition of these materials in scalable and cost-effective ways is paramount when looking toward the future of OLED applications. Herein, a simple OLED with fully solution-processed organic layers is introduced, where the TADF emissive layer is ink-jet printed. The TADF polymer has electron and hole conductive side chains, simplifying the fabrication process by removing the need for additional host materials. The OLED has a peak emission of 502 nm and a maximum luminance of close to 9600 cd m-2 . The self-hosted TADF polymer is also demonstrated in a flexible OLED, reaching a maximum luminance of over 2000 cd m-2 . These results demonstrate the potential applications of this self-hosted TADF polymer in flexible ink-jet printed OLEDs and, therefore, for a more scalable fabrication process.

Keywords: flexible electronics; ink-jet printing; organic light-emitting diodes; self-hosted polymers; solution-processability; thermally activated delayed fluorescence polymers.

MeSH terms

  • Coloring Agents*
  • Electric Conductivity
  • Electrons
  • Ink*
  • Polymers

Substances

  • Coloring Agents
  • Polymers