Solution-processed inorganic nanomaterials for efficient polymer light-emitting diodes

Abstract

Organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) have studied and developed over last few decades due to their many advantages over conventional technologies for displays and solid-state lightings, for example, flexible form factor, cheap and easy processing. But there are two obstacles to be overcome for OLEDs to be extend their full potentials: the efficiency and stability of the devices. In this research, solution-processed, inorganic nanomaterials were inserted to improve both the efficiency and stability of the OLEDs. In particular, metal nanoparticles and inorganic hybrid sols were used in each chapters. In chapter 2, silver nanoparticles were synthesized by solution-phase reaction and introduced on the top of the anode of the polymer light-emitting diodes with well-dispersion state. The adapted silver nanoparticles act as the resonance spots with emissive materials to enhance the overall efficiency of the blue polymer light-emitting diodes, which are suffer from the lack of the efficient emitting materials with desired emission spectrum. In chapter 3, the light-extraction patterns were fabricated and transferred by simple self-assembly and soft lithography. The silica and alumina hybrid network is found to serve not only the light-extraction but also gas barrier property. Based on the light-extraction patterned composed of silica and alumina hybrid network, efficient, stable and flexible polymer light-emitting diodes were fabricated.