Synthesis and properties of nitrogen-linked poly(2,7-carbazole)s as hole-transport material for organic light emitting diodes

Abstract

A novel class of carbazole polymers, nitrogen-linked poly(2,7-carbazole)s, was synthesized by polycondensation between two bifunctional monomers using the palladium-catalyzed animation reaction. The polymers were characterized by 1H NMR, Infrared, Gel permeation chromatography, and MALDI-TOF MS and it was revealed that the combination of the monomer structures is important for producing high molecular weight polymers. Thermal analysis indicated a good thermal stability with high glass transition temperatures, e.g., 138 °C for the higher molecular weight polymer P2. To pursue the application possibilities of these polymers, their optical properties and energy levels were investigated by UV-Vis absorption and fluorescence spectra as well as their electrochemical characteristics. Although the blue light emission was indeed observed for all polymers in solution, the quantum yields were very low and the solid films were not fluorescent. On the other hand, the HOMO levels of the polymers estimated from the onset potentials for the first oxidation in the solid thin films were relatively high in the range of -5.12 to -5.20 eV Therefore, light emitting diodes employing these polymers as a hole-transport layer and iridium(III) complex as a triplet emitter were fabricated. The device of the nitrogen-linked poly(2,7-carbazole) P3 with p,p′-biphenyl spacer, which has a higher HOMO level and a higher molecular weight, showed a much better performance than the device of P2 with m-phenylene spacer. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.