Highly efficient and stable blue quantum-dot light-emitting diodes based on polyfluorenes with carbazole pendent groups as hole-transporting materials

• Published in: Organic electronics 2021-05, Vol.92, p.106138, Article 106138
• Main Authors: Gao, Peili, Wang, Jianing, Wang, Lunhui, Wang, Dan, Peng, Wen, Zou, Shuhua, Mo, Yueqi, Zhang, Yong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Blue quantum-dot light-emitting diodes; Cabozale; Hole transporting materials; poly(N-vinlycarbzaole); Polyfluorene
• ISSN: 1566-1199; 1878-5530
• DOI: 10.1016/j.orgel.2021.106138

Highly efficient and stable blue quantum-dot light-emitting diodes (QD-LEDs) have been realized by using poly (9,9-bis(N-(2′-ethylhexyl)-carbazole-3-yl)-2,7-fluorene) (PFCz) as hole-transporting layers (HTLs). Due to the carbazole units as substituents at the 9-position of polyfluorene, PFCz shows higher hole mobility and better electrochemical stability than poly (N-vinlycarbazole) (PVK). As a result, the maximum current efficiency (CE) and external quantum efficiency (EQE) of the blue QD-LEDs increased from 4.32 cd A−1 to 7.9% for PVK HTL to 7.38 cd A−1 and 12.61% for PFCz HTL, respectively. Furthermore, the PFCz-based blue QD-LED exhibited lower turn-on voltage and longer device lifetime than the PVK-based device. The improvement performance of blue QD-LED should be attributed to the conjugated fluorene backbone and the substituents of the carbazole active sites, thus enhancing hole mobility and electrochemical stability. This result demonstrates that polyfluorenes with pendent carbazole groups is a promising hole-transporting materials for improving performance of blue QD-LEDs. [Display omitted] •Poly (9,9-bis(N-(2′-ethylhexyl)-carbazole-3-yl)-2,7-fluorene) was introduced as hole-transporting layer of blue QD-LEDs.•This polymer exhibited excellent hole mobility and electrochemical stability due to the C3 or C6 of carbazoles grafting at the 9-position of polyfluorenes.•Smooth and uniform film without pinholes can be achieved•Blue QD-LEDs based on this polymer as the HTL exhibited an maximum current efficiency of 7.38 cd/A.