Polymeric hole-transport materials (HTMs) have been widely
used
in quantum-dot light-emitting diodes (QLEDs). However, their solution
processability normally causes interlayer erosion and unstable film
state, leading to undesired device performance. Besides, the imbalance
of hole and electron transport in QLEDs also damages the device interfaces.
In this study, we designed a bis-diazo compound, X1, as carbene cross-linker
for polymeric HTM. Irradiated by ultraviolet and heating, a poly[(9,9-dioctylfluorenyl-2,7-diyl)-alt(4,4′-(N-(4-butylphenyl))] (TFB)/X1 blend can achieve fast “electronically
clean” cross-linking with ∼100% solvent resistance.
The cross-linking reduced the stacking behaviors of TFB and thus led
to a lower hole-transport mobility, whereas it was a good match of
electron mobility. The carbene-mediated TFB cross-linking also downshifted
the HOMO level from −5.3 to −5.5 eV, delivering a smaller
hole-transport energy barrier. Benefiting from these, the cross-linked
QLED showed enhanced device performances over the pristine device,
with EQE, power efficiency, and current efficiency being elevated
by nearly 20, 15, and 83%, respectively. To the best of our knowledge,
this is the first report about a bis-diazo compound based carbene
cross-linker built into a polymeric HTM for a QLED with enhanced device
performance.