Using the newly designed
exciplex-forming 1,2,3-triazole-based
acceptors with fast and efficient singlet → triplet intersystem
crossing (ISC) processes, carbazole and benzoyl-1
H
-1,2,3-triazole derivatives were synthesized by Dimroth-type 1,2,3-triazole
ring formation and Ullmann–Goldberg C–N coupling reactions.
Due to the exciplex formation between covalently bonded electron-donating
(carbazole) and 1,2,3-triazole-based electron-accepting moieties with
small singlet-triplet splitting (0.07–0.13 eV), the compounds
exhibited ISC-assisted bluish–green thermally activated delayed
fluorescence. The compounds were characterized by high triplet energy
levels ranging from 2.93 to 2.98 eV. The most efficient exciplex-type
thermally activated delayed fluorescence was observed for ortho-substituted
carbazole-benzoyl-1
H
-1,2,3-triazole which was selected
as a host in the structure of efficient solution-processed white light-emitting
diodes. The best device exhibited a maximum power efficiency of 10.7
lm/W, current efficiency of 18.4 cd/A, and quantum efficiency of 7.1%.
This device also showed the highest brightness exceeding 10 thousand
cd/m
2
. Usage of the exciplex-forming host allowed us to
achieve a low turn-on voltage of 3.6 V. High-quality white electroluminescence
was obtained with the close to nature white color coordinates (0.31,
0.34) and a color rendering index of 92.