Highly stable and efficient copper(I) sensitizer for narrowband red organic light-emitting diodes with an operational lifetime (LT95) of up to 3689 h at 1000 cd m−2
Abstract Copper-based organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) are low-cost alternatives to precious metal-based OLEDs, but currently no such OLEDs can meet the practical requirements for high colour purity, device efficiency, and operational stability. Carbene-Cu(I)-amide emitters reported here exhibi...
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Nature Portfolio
2025-08-01
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| Series: | Nature Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-62867-8 |
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| author | Rui Tang Shuo Xu Gang Cheng Kam-Hung Low Dongdong Zhang Lian Duan Chi-Ming Che |
| author_facet | Rui Tang Shuo Xu Gang Cheng Kam-Hung Low Dongdong Zhang Lian Duan Chi-Ming Che |
| author_sort | Rui Tang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Copper-based organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) are low-cost alternatives to precious metal-based OLEDs, but currently no such OLEDs can meet the practical requirements for high colour purity, device efficiency, and operational stability. Carbene-Cu(I)-amide emitters reported here exhibited thermally activated delayed fluorescent emission with quantum efficiencies up to 0.90 and radiative decay rates of 2.7 × 106 s−1. These enable blue to near-infrared Cu(I)-OLEDs with high brightness (265,000 cd m−2) and extended LT95 lifetime (3582 hours at 1000 cd m−2). Deuteriation and π-extension of carbazole significantly enhance OLED stability. Cu(I)-sensitized fluorescence OLEDs showed efficient narrowband electroluminescence (λmax 612–614 nm; full-width half maximum of 33–38 nm; maximum external quantum efficiencies reach 21.9%) and prolonged LT95 lifetime (up to 3689 h at 1000 cd m−2). This work highlights earth-abundant metal-based sensitized-OLEDs that exhibit high colour purity and long device lifetime comparable to the best non-iridium metal-based OLEDs. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-423a837a724e4680a8002d4e4c917d21 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2041-1723 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nature Communications |
| spelling | doaj-art-423a837a724e4680a8002d4e4c917d212025-08-24T11:37:42ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-08-0116111010.1038/s41467-025-62867-8Highly stable and efficient copper(I) sensitizer for narrowband red organic light-emitting diodes with an operational lifetime (LT95) of up to 3689 h at 1000 cd m−2Rui Tang0Shuo Xu1Gang Cheng2Kam-Hung Low3Dongdong Zhang4Lian Duan5Chi-Ming Che6Department of Chemistry, State Key Laboratory of Synthetic Chemistry, CAS-HKU Joint Laboratory on New Materials, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam RoadDepartment of Chemistry, State Key Laboratory of Synthetic Chemistry, CAS-HKU Joint Laboratory on New Materials, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam RoadDepartment of Chemistry, State Key Laboratory of Synthetic Chemistry, CAS-HKU Joint Laboratory on New Materials, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam RoadDepartment of Chemistry, State Key Laboratory of Synthetic Chemistry, CAS-HKU Joint Laboratory on New Materials, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam RoadKey Laboratory of Organic Optoelectronics and Molecular Engineering of Ministry of Education, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua UniversityKey Laboratory of Organic Optoelectronics and Molecular Engineering of Ministry of Education, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua UniversityDepartment of Chemistry, State Key Laboratory of Synthetic Chemistry, CAS-HKU Joint Laboratory on New Materials, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam RoadAbstract Copper-based organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) are low-cost alternatives to precious metal-based OLEDs, but currently no such OLEDs can meet the practical requirements for high colour purity, device efficiency, and operational stability. Carbene-Cu(I)-amide emitters reported here exhibited thermally activated delayed fluorescent emission with quantum efficiencies up to 0.90 and radiative decay rates of 2.7 × 106 s−1. These enable blue to near-infrared Cu(I)-OLEDs with high brightness (265,000 cd m−2) and extended LT95 lifetime (3582 hours at 1000 cd m−2). Deuteriation and π-extension of carbazole significantly enhance OLED stability. Cu(I)-sensitized fluorescence OLEDs showed efficient narrowband electroluminescence (λmax 612–614 nm; full-width half maximum of 33–38 nm; maximum external quantum efficiencies reach 21.9%) and prolonged LT95 lifetime (up to 3689 h at 1000 cd m−2). This work highlights earth-abundant metal-based sensitized-OLEDs that exhibit high colour purity and long device lifetime comparable to the best non-iridium metal-based OLEDs.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-62867-8 |
| spellingShingle | Rui Tang Shuo Xu Gang Cheng Kam-Hung Low Dongdong Zhang Lian Duan Chi-Ming Che Highly stable and efficient copper(I) sensitizer for narrowband red organic light-emitting diodes with an operational lifetime (LT95) of up to 3689 h at 1000 cd m−2 Nature Communications |
| title | Highly stable and efficient copper(I) sensitizer for narrowband red organic light-emitting diodes with an operational lifetime (LT95) of up to 3689 h at 1000 cd m−2 |
| title_full | Highly stable and efficient copper(I) sensitizer for narrowband red organic light-emitting diodes with an operational lifetime (LT95) of up to 3689 h at 1000 cd m−2 |
| title_fullStr | Highly stable and efficient copper(I) sensitizer for narrowband red organic light-emitting diodes with an operational lifetime (LT95) of up to 3689 h at 1000 cd m−2 |
| title_full_unstemmed | Highly stable and efficient copper(I) sensitizer for narrowband red organic light-emitting diodes with an operational lifetime (LT95) of up to 3689 h at 1000 cd m−2 |
| title_short | Highly stable and efficient copper(I) sensitizer for narrowband red organic light-emitting diodes with an operational lifetime (LT95) of up to 3689 h at 1000 cd m−2 |
| title_sort | highly stable and efficient copper i sensitizer for narrowband red organic light emitting diodes with an operational lifetime lt95 of up to 3689 h at 1000 cd m 2 |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-62867-8 |
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