Hole injection/transport layer compositions and devices
View Patent ↗Compositions for use in HIL/HTL applications include intrinsically conductive polymer, planarizing agent, and dopant, which are soluble in non-aqueous solvents. Block copolymers of regioregular alkyl/alkoxy- and aryl-substituted polythiophenes can be used. The compositions can be formed into thin films. Excellent efficiency and lifetime stability can be achieved.
1. A blend composition for use in a hole injection layer or hole transport layer comprising the following components:
(i) at least one intrinsically conductive polymer or copolymer,
(ii) at least one dopant for the conductive polymer or copolymer; and
(iii) at least one planarizing agent, wherein the planarizing agent is a synthetic polymer;
wherein the components are soluble in non-aqueous solvents and are formulated to form a compatible blend when the composition is in the form of a hole injection layer or hole transport layer less than about 200 nm thick, wherein the intrinsically conductive polymer or copolymer is a regioregular 3-substituted polythiophene.
2. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the intrinsically conductive polymer or copolymer is a homopolymer.
3. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the intrinsically conductive polymer or copolymer is a copolymer.
4. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the intrinsically conductive polymer or copolymer is a block copolymer.
5. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the intrinsically conductive polymer or copolymer is a regioregular alkyl/alkoxy-, etheric, poly(etheric), or aryl-substituted polythiophene block copolymer comprising a polythiophene block and a non-polythiophene block.
6. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the intrinsically conductive polymer or copolymer is a regioregular alkyl/alkoxy-, etheric, poly(etheric), or aryl-substituted polythiophene block copolymer comprising a polythiophene block and a non-polythiophene block, and the non-polythiophene block is substantially similar to the planarizing agent.
7. The blend composition according to claim 1 , wherein the layer is less than about 100 nm thick.
8. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the composition is in the form of a film about 2 nm to about 100 nm thick.
9. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the amounts of the intrinsically conductive polymer or copolymer, and the planarizing agent are about 0.5 wt % to about 25 wt %, and about 0.5 wt % to about 70 wt %, respectively.
10. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the amounts of the intrinsically conductive polymer or copolymer, and the planarizing agent are about 0.5 wt % to about 25 wt %, and about 0.5 wt % to about 80 wt %, respectively.
11. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the planarizing agent is an organic polymer.
12. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the dopant comprises organic oxidant.
13. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the dopant is an acid dopant.
14. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the dopant comprises organic oxidant, the planarizing agent is an organic polymer, the polymer or copolymer comprises regioregular polythiophene, and the amounts of the intrinsically conductive polymer or copolymer, and the planarizing agent are about 0.5 wt % to about 25 wt %, and about 0.5 wt % to about 70 wt %, respectively.
15. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the dopant comprises organic oxidant, the planarizing agent is an organic polymer, and the amounts of the intrinsically conductive polymer or copolymer, and the planarizing agent are about 0.5 wt % to about 25 wt %, and about 0.5 wt % to about 80 wt %, respectively.
16. An electroluminescent (EL) device comprising an anode, a cathode, and a hole injection layer or a hole transport layer, wherein the hole injection layer or hole transport layer comprises a blend composition according to claim 1 .
17. A method comprising the step of ink jet printing the composition according to claim 1 , wherein the composition further comprises organic solvent.
18. An electroluminescent device comprising a hole injection layer or hole transport layer comprising the following components:
(i) at least one intrinsically conductive polymer or copolymer soluble in non-aqueous solvent, and wherein the intrinsically conductive polymer or copolymer is a regioregular 3-substituted polythiophene,
(ii) at least one dopant for the conductive polymer or copolymer; and
(iii) at least one planarizing agent, wherein the planarizing agent is a synthetic polymer soluble in non-aqueous solvent;
wherein the hole injection layer or hole transport layer is less than about 200 nm thick.
19. The device according to claim 18 , wherein conductive polymer or copolymer is a homopolymer.
20. The device according to claim 18 , wherein conductive polymer or copolymer is a copolymer.
21. The device according claim 18 , wherein the intrinsically conductive polymer or copolymer is a regioregular alkyl/alkoxy-, etheric, poly(etheric), or aryl-substituted polythiophene block copolymer comprising a polythiophene block and a non-polythiophene block.
22. The device according to claim 18 , wherein the intrinsically conductive polymer or copolymer is a regioregular alkyl/alkoxy-, etheric, poly(etheric), or aryl-substituted polythiophene block copolymer comprising a polythiophene block and a non-polythiophene block, and the non-polythiophene block is substantially similar to the planarizing agent.
23. The device according to claim 18 , wherein the hole injection layer or hole transport layer is about 2 nm to about 100 m thick.
24. The device according to claim 18 , wherein the amounts of the intrinsically conductive polymer or copolymer, and the planarizing agent are about 0.5 wt % to about 25 wt %, and about 0.5 wt % to about 80 wt %, respectively.
25. The device according to claim 18 , wherein the planarizing agent is an organic polymer.
26. The device according to claim 18 , wherein the dopant comprises organic oxidant.
27. The device according to claim 18 , wherein the dopant is an acid dopant.
28. The device according to claim 18 , wherein the dopant comprises organic oxidant, the planarizing agent is an organic polymer, the polymer or copolymer comprises regioregular polythiophene, and the amounts of the intrinsically conductive polymer or copolymer, and the planarizing agent are about 0.5 wt % to about 25 wt %, and about 0.5 wt % to about 70 wt %, respectively.
29. The device according to claim 18 , wherein the dopant comprises organic oxidant, the planarizing agent is an organic polymer, and the amounts of the intrinsically conductive polymer or copolymer, and the planarizing agent are about 0.5 wt % to about 25 wt %, and about 0.5 wt % to about 80 wt %, respectively.
30. An electroluminescent device comprising a hole injection layer or hole transport layer comprising the following components:
(i) at least one intrinsically conductive polymer or copolymer, wherein the intrinsically conductive polymer or copolymer is a regioregular 3-substituted polythiophene soluble in non-aqueous solvent;
(ii) at least one dopant for the conductive polymer or copolymer; and
(iii) at least one synthetic polymer soluble in non-aqueous solvent; wherein the hole injection layer or hole transport layer is less than about 200 nm thick.
31. The device according to claim 30 , wherein the dopant is an organic dopant.
32. An ink formulation for hole injection layer or hole transport layer application comprising:
about 0.5 wt. % to about 25 wt. % soluble regioregular 3substituted polythiophene soluble in organic solvent,
about 0.5 wt. % to about 70 wt. % organic polymer soluble in organic solvent, organic oxidant dopant, and
organic solvent.
33. An ink formulation for hole injection layer or hole transport layer application comprising:
about 0.5 wt. % to about 25 wt. % soluble regioregular 3substituted polythiophene soluble in organic solvent,
about 0.5 wt. % to about 80 wt. % organic polymer soluble in organic solvent, organic oxidant dopant, and
organic solvent.