Solution-processable, single-layer, blue organic light-emitting diodes employing dual emitting cores of hybridized local and charge-transfer units

•Two novel solution-processable blue fluorescent compounds were synthesized and characterized.•Both of them showed obvious HLCT characteristics.•The maximal efficiencies of p-DTPABI-Cz were up to 3.71 cd/A, 2.33 lm/W, and 2.88%.

Two novel dual emitting core hybridized local and charge-transfer emitters of 4′,4‴-(1,1′-((9-(heptadecan-9-yl)-9H-carbazole-2,7-diyl)bis(4,1-phenylene))bis(1H-p-henanthro[9,10-d]imidazole-2,1-diyl))bis(N,N-diphenyl-[1,1′-biphenyl]-4-amine) and 4′,4‴-(1,1′-((9-(heptadecan-9-yl)-9H-carbazole-2,7-diyl)bis(3,1-phenylene))bis(1H-phenanthro[9,10-d]imidazole-2,1-diyl))bis(N,N-diphenyl-[1,1′-biphenyl]-4-amine) were designed and synthesized by introducing two hybridized local and charge-transfer units for single-layer, solution-processable, and blue organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). Their absorption, photoluminescence, hybridized local and charge-transfer characteristics, thermal stability and electrochemistry were systematically studied. The single-layered devices by using them as emitters showed efficient blue emission with a maximum brightness 5521 cd/m2 for 4′,4‴-(1,1′-((9-(heptadecan-9-yl)-9H-carbazole-2,7-diyl)bis(4,1-phenylene))bis(1H-p-henanthro[9,10-d]imidazole-2,1-diyl))bis(N,N-diphenyl-[1,1′-biphenyl]-4-amine) and 4403 cd/m2 for 4′,4‴-(1,1′-((9-(heptadecan-9-yl)-9H-carbazole-2,7-diyl)bis(3,1-phenylene))bis(1H-phenanthro[9,10-d]imidazole-2,1-diyl))bis(N,N-diphenyl-[1,1′-biphenyl]-4-amine). The maximal efficiencies of the former were up to 3.71 cd/A, 2.33 lm/W, and 2.88%. Furthermore, at the high luminescence, the device still indicated good performance with relative low efficiency roll-off. The relationships of structures and properties were also discussed. Most importantly, we provided a new method to construct solution processable small molecules for highly efficient single-layer OLEDs.