Synthesis of a red electrophosphorescent heteroleptic iridium complex and its application in efficient polymer light-emitting diodes

The preparation and characterization of a heteroleptic iridium complex [2-(benzo[b]thiophen-2-yl)pyridine]Ir(III)[2-(4H-1,2,4-triazol-3-yl)pyridine] [(Btp)2Ir(PZ)] were reported (2-(benzo[b]thiophen-2-yl)pyridine = Btp; 2-(4H-1,2,4-triazol-3-yl)pyridine = PZ). Electrophosphorescence was investigated in the device structure [indium-tin-oxide (ITO)/poly(ethlenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT)/poly(vinylcarbazole)(PVK)/Poly(9,9-dioctylfluorenyl-2,7-diyl) end capped with dimethylphenyl (PFO): (Btp)2Ir(PZ)/Ba/Al] by using this iridium complex as guest and PFO as host. The red electrophosphorescent devices showed a peak emission at approximately 604 nm and shoulder at 654 nm with the Commission International de'Eclairage (CIE) coordinates of (0.64, 0.35) and external quantum efficiency of 7.7% at a doping concentration of 8 wt.% without an electron-transporting material in the emitting layer.