A novel PLED architecture containing biologically synthesized gold nanoparticles and ultra thin silver layer

•Gold nanoparticles are biologically synthesized and used in PLEDs successfully.•Ultra thin silver layer is applied in order to generate lightning rod effect.•The tailored PLED exhibits 2.5 fold increase in the device efficiency.

The influences of biologically synthesized gold nanoparticles (bio-GNPs) and ultra thin silver layer (UTSL) on the polymer light emitting diodes (PLEDs) are investigated for the first time. The performance of the fabricated PLEDs is enhanced by embedding of bio-GNPs into the hole transport layer (HTL). Furthermore, the tailored device architecture containing UTSL increases the electron transport through lightning rod effect. Bio-GNPs are successfully produced as spherical shape with size of circa 10.4 nm. Poly[2-methoxy-5-(2-ethylhexyloxy)-1,4-phenylene vinylene (MEH-PPV) and [poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly (styrenesulfonate); (PEDOT:PSS)/bio-GNPs blends are used as an active layer and HTL, respectively. Novel PLEDs fabricated with 0.125 wt% bio-GNPs/PEDOT:PSS and 0.5 nm UTSL exhibit nearly 2.5-fold enhancement in the device efficiency.

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