Red to white polymer light-emitting diode (PLED) based on Eu3+–Zn2+–Gd3+-containing metallopolymer

Abstract

Through terpolymerization of the red-light complex monomer [Eu(tta)₃(4-vp-2,2′bpy)] (2; Htta = 2-thenoyltrifluoroacetone; 4-vp-2,2′-bpy = 2-(pyridin-2-yl)-5-(4-vinylphenyl)pyridine), blue-green-light complex monomer [Zn(L)(4-vinyl-Py)Gd(NO₃)₃] (8; Salen-type H₂L = N,N′-bis(3-methoxy-salicylidene)phenylene-1,2-diamine; 4-vinyl-Py = 4-vinyl-pyridine) with MMA (methyl methacrylate), the obtained Eu³⁺–Zn²⁺–Gd³⁺-containing metallopolymer Poly(2-co-MMA-co-8) (120 : 1[2/8 = 2 : 1 or 1 : 2]) exhibits stoichiometry-dependent color-tuning photoluminescence due to effective Zn²⁺–Gd³⁺–Salen to Eu³⁺ energy transfer. Moreover, using them as the corresponding emitting layers, a high color-purity red-light polymer light-emitting diode (PLED) with a luminous efficiency of 0.037 lm W⁻¹ and first-example Ln³⁺-containing-metallopolymer-based WPLED with an eternal quantum yield of 0.003% is realized.