Thermally activated delayed fluorescent small molecule sensitized fluorescent polymers with reduced concentration-quenching for efficient electroluminescence

Abstract

Thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) small molecule bis-[3-(9,9-dimethyl-9,10-dihydroacridine)-phenyl]-sulfone (m-ACSO2) was used as a universal host to sensitize three conventional fluorescent polymers for maximizing the electroluminescent performance. The excitons were utilized via inter-molecular energy transfer and the non-radiative decays were successfully refrained in the condensed states. Therefore, the significant enhancement of the electroluminescent efficiencies was demonstrated. For instance, after doping poly(9,9-dioctylfluorene-co-benzothiadiazole) (F8BT) into m-ACSO2, the external quantum efficiency (EQE) was improved by a factor of 17.0 in the solution-processed organic light-emitting device (OLED), as compared with the device with neat F8BT. In terms of the other well-known fluorescent polymers, i.e., poly (para-phenylene vinylene) copolymer (Super Yellow, SY) and poly[2-methoxy-5-(2-ethylhexyloxy)-1,4-phenylenevinylene] (MEH-PPV), their EQEs in the devices were respectively enhanced by 70% and 270%, compared with the reference devices based on the conventional host 1,3-di(9H-carbazol-9-yl) benzene (mCP). Besides the improved charge balance in the bipolar TADF host, these were partially ascribed to reduced fluorescence quenching in the mixed films. Graphical abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.].