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

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.