Lefko-Phos · Binuclear Iridium(III) Complexes for White-Emitting OLEDs
Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
- Duration
- 2020-02-15 → 2022-02-14
- EU contribution
- €171,473
- Participants
- 1
- Scheme
- MSCA-IF-EF-ST
Lines connect the coordinator with its partners.
Results in brief
Binuclear Iridium(III) Complexes for White-Emitting OLEDs
The main objective of Lefko-Phoς is the development of photoactive materials emitting white light with high efficiency and high thermal, photochemical and electrochemical stability. Such materials are designed to be used in white-emitting OLEDs (WOLEDs). Current WOLED technology (for lighting or displays) requires the use of multiple luminophores in a single device by using (i) three different red-green-blue emitters or (ii) two-colour combination of blue-orange emissive materials. However, these strategies often do not work properly, because the final materials delivered imbalanced white-light emission, low efficiency and colour instability, due to the different stability over time of each single emitter. Moreover, the manufacturing process of WOLEDs becomes more complicated due to the incorporation of multiple emissive layers or a single emissive layer with multiple dopants. To overcome these drawbacks, Lefko-Phoς attempts to generate white-light emission from a single-component material. The target emitters are binuclear cyclometalated iridium(III) complexes, whose emitting units are linked by a non-conjugated bridging ligand.
Data: CORDIS, © European Union
Project objective
The European Union set the ambitious target of increasing energy efficiency by 27% within 2030. Since ≈ 20% of the EU electrical energy is used for lighting, more efficient lighting concepts need to be developed. At present, inorganic light emitting diodes (LEDs) stand out as the best alternative to conventional lighting devices. In future, organic LEDs (OLEDs) are predicted to become the ultimate solution, since they allow fabrication of large-area flat and flexible devices; consequently, white-emitting OLEDs (WOLEDs) are actively investigated. Current WOLEDs require the use of multiple luminophores in a single device, but this leads to imbalanced white-light emission and colour instability, due to the different stability over time of each single emitter. Moreover, the incorporation of multiple emitters increases manufacturing costs. To overcome these drawbacks, attempts have been made to generate white-emission from a single multifunctional material. However, strong limitations were faced due to the complex synthetic procedures and the inability to control the excited-state properties of the emitter and its internal energy-transfer processes. In this scenario, we propose a new strategy for easy-to-synthesize binuclear cyclometalated iridium(III) complexes, displaying dual-emission for white-light generation from a single molecular entity. The strategy involves simultaneous generation of blue and orange emission from two electronically uncoupled Ir(III) centres, linked together by a non-conjugated bridging unit. This ambitious goal can be achieved due to the mutual interaction between the Experienced Researcher (ER) and the Host Institution (HI). While the ER has a strong background in the synthesis of luminescent complexes, the HI has a consolidated expertise in organic synthesis, theoretical and experimental photophysics, and in fabrication and testing of OLED devices. This combination of competencies will guarantee the successful implementation of this project.
Original text from CORDIS.
Participants
- CONSIGLIO NAZIONALE DELLE RICERCHE · RomaCoordinatorItaly
Links
Data: CORDIS, © European Union