Poly(2-(N-carbazolyl)ethyl acrylate) as a host for high efficiency polymer light-emitting devices

International audiencePoly(2-(N-carbazolyl)ethyl acrylate), a poly(acrylate) comprised of carbazole-side groups attached via a flexible chain to the polymer backbone (PVAK) has been tested as host for solution-processed polymer light-emitting devices (PLEDs). This non-conjugated polymer proved to be an excellent candidate to host wide-bandgap phosphors. Notably, this polymer exhibited a high thermal stability (Td = 322 °C), a glass transition temperature (Tg) of 91 °C and a wide bandgap corresponding to the pendent carbazole units and the disrupted π-conjugation of the polymer main chain, making this polymeric host a suitable candidate for wide bandgap triplet emitters. When tested as a host for FIrpic and Ir(ppy)3, the resulting blue and green light-emitting devices showed a maximum luminous efficiency of 18.25 and 17.74 cd/A, respectively, which are comparable to recent reports of devices made using other carbazole-based oxygen-rich polymeric hosts. The polymer was also characterized by UV–visible absorption, photoluminescence spectroscopy as well as cyclic voltammetr