Facile preparation and investigation of the properties of single molecular POSS-based white-light-emitting hybrid materials using click chemistry

Abstract

Recently, organic white light emitting devices (OWLEDs) have attracted great interest in flexible displays and solid state lighting devices. Here we report a kind of novel POSS-based white-light-emitting single molecular nanohybrid (POSS-WLED), which was precisely and controllably prepared via click chemistry by simply controlling the feed ratio of blue (B) and yellow (Y) emitting units. It was found that the self-absorption of the emitting component and the intramolecular energy transfer were well adjusted based on theoretical simulations and molecular design. The incorporation of nanosized inorganic POSS effectively restrained intramolecular rotation (RIR) and shows a significant decoupling effect of the emitter and an AIE (aggregation induced enhancement) effect, which provided an important contribution to the high emission efficiency of hybrid molecules. The resultant nanometer organic–inorganic hybrid (W₆₂) exhibited a significantly enhanced emission in the solid film (Φ_film = 95%) because of the significant AIE effect which is attributed to the incorporation of nano-sized POSS moieties. Herein, this work will provide a novel strategy for the design and preparation of highly efficient white-light-emitting molecules with a high emission efficiency, thermal stability, and good film forming ability.