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Constructing an efficient deep-blue TADF emitter by host-guest interactions towards solution-processed OLEDs with narrowband emission

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Abstract

High-efficiency thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) emitters and corresponding well-designed solution-processed organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) are presently attractive due to their potential for exploiting large-area flexible displays. In this context, we innovatively integrate 2,12-di-tert-butyl-5,9-dioxa-13b-boronaphtho [3,2,1] anthracene as the acceptor with 3,6-bis (3,6-di-tert-butylcarbazol-N-yl) carbazole as the donor to construct a rigid deep-blue emitter, TB-3tBuCz, which exhibits a narrow emission with full-width-at-half-maximum (FWHM) of 46 nm. TB-3tBuCz itself dispalys no TADF characteristics both in solution or in pure film states. However, the significant TADF behavior can be observed when TB-3tBuCz is doped with 2,6-DCzPPy host due to the formation of exciplex-like species in 2,6-DCzPPy/TB-3tBuCz system. It is also found that the discernible spin-flip of triplet excitons is feasible when the S1/T1 states of the formed exciplex stay slightly lower than S1 and T1 states of TB-3tBuCz for the other host/TB-3tBuCz systems. Eventually, thanks to the synergetic effect of rigid structure and favorable photophysical properties of TB-3tBuCz, the solution-processed OLEDs based on 2,6-DCzPPy/TB-3tBuCz as emitting layer has achieved the significantly improved external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 14.6% with suppressed efficiency roll-off. The CIE1931 coordinate of (0.158, 0.052) is typically in deep-blue region. Note that, this EQE value is among the highest echelon of solution-processed OLEDs with deep-blue emission by utilizing boron-containing TADF emitters.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (52103220, 51922021, 52273164) and the Shandong Provincial Natural Science Foundation (ZR2022ZD37, ZR2019ZD50).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department Key Laboratory of Rubber-Plastics, Ministry of Education/Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Rubber-Plastics, School of Polymer Science and Engineering, Qingdao University of Science & Technology, Qingdao, 266042, China

    Yanchao Xie, Zhi Wang, Yuerong Liu, Shian Ying, Yuchao Liu & Shouke Yan

  2. State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China

    Lei Hua, Zhongjie Ren & Shouke Yan

Authors
  1. Yanchao Xie
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  2. Lei Hua
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  3. Zhi Wang
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  4. Yuerong Liu
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  5. Shian Ying
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  6. Yuchao Liu
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  7. Zhongjie Ren
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  8. Shouke Yan
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Correspondence to Yuchao Liu, Zhongjie Ren or Shouke Yan.

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Supporting information The supporting information is available online at https://chem.scichina.com and https://link.springer.com/journal/11426. The supporting materials are published as submitted, without typesetting or editing. The responsibility for scientific accuracy and content remains entirely with the authors.

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11426_2022_1447_MOESM1_ESM.docx

Constructing Efficient Deep-Blue TADF Emitter by Host-Guest Interactions towards Solution-Processed OLEDs with Narrowband Emission

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Xie, Y., Hua, L., Wang, Z. et al. Constructing an efficient deep-blue TADF emitter by host-guest interactions towards solution-processed OLEDs with narrowband emission. Sci. China Chem. 66, 826–836 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11426-022-1447-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11426-022-1447-4

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