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Pure aromatic hydrocarbons with meta-linked phenyl-core and perihedral fluorene substitutions with/without inert groups of tert-butyl: bipolar hosts for blue phosphorescence

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Abstract

Two pure hydrocarbon molecules of 1,3,5-tris(9-phenyl-9H-fluoren-9-yl)benzene (m TPFB) and 1,3,5-tris(2-tert-butyl-9-phenyl-9H-fluoren-9-yl)benzene (t Bu-m TPFB) were synthesized. Due to the conjugation blocked connection mode and rigid/bulky substitutions, these two materials possess high triplet energy, enabling them as good hosts for blue phosphor in PhOLEDs. By studying their thermal, electrochemical, electronic absorption and photoluminescent properties, it was found that the influence of the inert tert-butyl group on material photoelectrical properties is negligible. For instance, m TPFB and t Bu-m TPFB showed very similar absorption and emission profiles, with almost the same bandgap, triplet energy and energy levels. However, the encapsulation of tert-butyl on the 2-position of 9-phenylfluorene enhanced material thermal stability. Most importantly, carrier transport properties were improved dramatically, as proved by the mono carrier device. Blue phosphorescent OLEDs hosted by t Bu-m TPFB showed external quantum efficiency of 15.2% and current efficiency of 23.0 cd/A, which were much higher than that of the OLEDs based on m TPFB with the analogous structure.

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Acknowledgments

This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (61474064, 61504063), funding from Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications (NY214085, NY214177), the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province (BK20150836), the National Basic Research Program of China (2015CB932200), the National Synergistic Innovation Center for Advanced Materials (SICAM), Synergistic Innovation Center for Organic Electronics and Information Displays, Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions (PAPD, YX03001), and funding from Key Laboratory for Organic Electronics & Information Displays.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory for Organic Electronics and Information Displays & Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM), Jiangsu National Synergistic Innovation Center for Advanced Materials (SICAM), Nanjing University of Posts & Telecommunications, Nanjing, 210023, China

    Gaowen Liu, Baoxiu Mi, Minjie Zhuo, Changjin Ou & Shuchao Zheng

  2. School of Material Science and Engineering, Jiangsu Engineering Centre for Flat-Panel Displays & Solid-state Lighting, Nanjing University of Posts & Telecommunications, Nanjing, 210023, China

    Chuanjun Wang, Jie Wang, Juan Song, Zhiqiang Gao & Dapeng Cao

Authors
  1. Gaowen Liu
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  2. Chuanjun Wang
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  3. Baoxiu Mi
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  4. Minjie Zhuo
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  5. Changjin Ou
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  6. Jie Wang
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  7. Shuchao Zheng
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  8. Juan Song
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  9. Zhiqiang Gao
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  10. Dapeng Cao
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Correspondence to Baoxiu Mi, Juan Song or Zhiqiang Gao.

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Liu, G., Wang, C., Mi, B. et al. Pure aromatic hydrocarbons with meta-linked phenyl-core and perihedral fluorene substitutions with/without inert groups of tert-butyl: bipolar hosts for blue phosphorescence. Sci. China Chem. 60, 223–230 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11426-016-0155-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11426-016-0155-y

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