Separating ion and electron transport: the bilayer light-emitting electrochemical cell.
The current generation of polymer light-emitting electrochemical cells (LECs) suffers from insufficient stability during operation. One identified culprit is the active material, which comprises an intimate blend between an ion-conducting electrolyte and an electron-transporting conjugated polymer, as it tends to undergo phase separation during long-term operation and the intimate contact between the ion- and electron-transporting components provokes side reactions. To address these stability issues, we present here a bilayer LEC structure in which the electrolyte is spatially separated from the conjugated polymer. We demonstrate that employing this novel device structure, with its clearly separated ion- and electron-transport paths, leads to distinctly improved LEC performance in the form of decreased turn-on time and improved light emission. We also point out that it will allow for the utilization of combinations of active materials having mutually incompatible solubilities.
Sandström
Andreas
A
The Organic Photonics and Electronics Group, Department of Physics, Umeå University, SE-90187 Umeå, Sweden.
Matyba
Piotr
P
Inganäs
Olle
O
Edman
Ludvig
L
D004563:Electrochemistry / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004573:Electrolytes / Q000737:chemistry; D004579:Electron Transport; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000737:chemistry; D007474:Ion Exchange; D008027:Light; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry
D004573:Electrolytes; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D011108:Polymers