Improved lifetime with enhanced efficiency of an Alq 3 based OLED was realized by the co-evaporation of hexamethylbenzene (HMB). Two different solvated crystalline systems of Alq 3 , Alq 3 (C 7 H 8 ) 1/2 , Alq 3 (C 2 H 5 OH), were synthesized to investigate the effect of optically inactive materials on the emission properties of Alq 3 . Clathrate solvents perturb the excited electronic states of Alq 3 so that the incorporated materials in OLEDs should be chemically and optically inactive to control polymorphs. HMB acts as a carrier blocker for both electrons and holes. However, Alq 3 may be stabilized from Joule heat if the Joule heat is efficiently consumed as the vibrational/rotational energy of HMB. Consequently, the self-quenching and the crystallization of Alq 3 are effectively suppressed by the HMB, resulting in prolonged operating time and enhanced efficiency for Alq 3 -OLEDs. q