Storage Lifetime of Polymer-Carbon Nanotube Inks for Use as Charge Transport Layers in Organic Light Emitting Diodes

Author

Mills, Christopher A. ; Sam, F. Laurent M. ; Alshammari, A.S. ; Rozanski, Lynn J. ; Emerson, Neil G. ; Silva, S.R.P.

Author_Institution

Adv. Technol. Inst., Univ. of Surrey, Guildford, UK

Volume

10

Issue

2

fYear

2014

fDate

Feb. 2014

Firstpage

125

Lastpage

131

Abstract

The long-term stability of multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) mixed with the hole-transport polymer Poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) has been examined. These surfactant stabilized solutions, used as transport layers in organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), are shown to be stable for periods of up to 15 months and show no signs of degrading soon after this time. In comparison, nonstabilized aqueous MWCNT solutions have been shown to aggregate within 30 min of production, and, although these aggregates can be redispersed, the solution displays an increase in smaller aggregates over time which cannot subsequently be redispersed by manual agitation. The stable MWCNT/PEDOT:PSS solutions have been used in ink-jet printing and as composite MWCNT/PEDOT:PSS films suitable as charge transport layers in spin-coated OLEDs.

Keywords

aggregates (materials); carbon nanotubes; ink; ink jet printing; organic light emitting diodes; polymers; spin coating; C; PEDOT:PSS; charge transport layer; composite film; hole-transport polymer; ink-jet printing; multiwall carbon nanotube; nonstabilized aqueous MWCNT solution; organic light emitting diode; poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate); polymer-carbon nanotube ink; spin-coated OLED; surfactant stabilized solution; time 30 min; Aggregates; Educational institutions; Films; Indium tin oxide; Ink jet printing; Organic light emitting diodes; Resistance; Carbon nanotubes; conducting materials; organic light emitting diodes; polymer films;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Display Technology, Journal of

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1551-319X

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/JDT.2013.2286840

Filename

6645390