Two decades of carbazole–triarylborane hybrids in optoelectronics

Abstract

The integration of carbazole with triarylborane has led to the development of highly efficient donor–acceptor organoboron compounds that have significantly advanced the field of optoelectronics. By combining the electron-donating properties of carbazole and the electron-accepting characteristics of organoboranes, these hybrids exhibit tunable charge-transfer characteristics, excellent photostability, and high luminous efficiency. Among these, carbazole–triarylborane systems have emerged as versatile and high-performance materials with wide-ranging applications in organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF), and aggregation-induced emission (AIE). This review comprehensively covers two decades of progress in the design, synthesis, and functional exploration of these materials, discussing key breakthroughs in molecular engineering, structure–property relationships, and device integration. The review also highlights critical challenges, such as scalability, stability, and material optimization for large-scale applications. Recent advancements in data encryption technologies and computational methods are also discussed, expanding the material's scope beyond traditional optoelectronic applications. The review concludes with insights into future directions, emphasizing the growing potential of carbazole–triarylboranes hybrids in next-generation optoelectronic devices, including flexible displays, bioimaging, and sustainable energy solutions.