Organic EL Material Flexible Substructure Suppresses Dopant Agglomeration

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional organic electroluminescent elements face challenges with low luminescence efficiency, high driving voltage, short service life, and instability due to concentration quenching, agglomeration of dopants, and poor molecular orientation in amorphous films, which limits their performance and longevity.

Innovation Solution

A compound represented by Formula (4) is used as a material for organic electroluminescent elements, featuring a flexible substructure that enhances interaction between molecules, suppresses dopant agglomeration, and maintains an amorphous state, thereby improving luminescence efficiency, driving voltage, and service life.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If traditional organic EL materials are used, then the device structure is simple, but the luminescence efficiency is low due to concentration quenching and dopant agglomeration

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveluminescence efficiencyVSAvoidmolecular structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by introducing a flexible substructure with specific local molecular characteristics (Formula 2) into the luminous host compound. This local structural modification creates regions of enhanced molecular interaction that suppress dopant agglomeration and concentration quenching, thereby improving luminescence efficiency without requiring complete structural redesign of the entire molecule.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a composite molecular structure by combining the rigid aromatic core (Formula 1) with the flexible substructure (Formula 2). This composite approach allows the molecule to exhibit both the stability of the aromatic core and the beneficial interaction properties of the flexible substructure, achieving high luminescence efficiency while maintaining structural integrity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Illumination intensity

If high dopant concentration is used to enhance emission intensity, then the light output increases, but concentration quenching and agglomeration occur reducing efficiency

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelight emission intensityVSAvoidluminescence efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary anti-action by incorporating the flexible substructure into the luminous host compound before dopant addition. This pre-engineered molecular structure proactively prevents dopant agglomeration and concentration quenching from occurring, allowing high dopant concentrations to be used for enhanced light output without the usual efficiency losses.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

3Reliability

If amorphous films are used to avoid crystals, then the electrical characteristics improve, but molecular orientation is poor limiting performance

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelectrical characteristicsVSAvoidmolecular orientation
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the molecular parameters of the luminous host compound through the introduction of the flexible substructure. This structural parameter change enables the material to achieve both amorphous film formation (avoiding crystal-related electrical issues) and sufficient molecular orientation (through enhanced intermolecular interactions), simultaneously improving electrical characteristics and molecular arrangement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

4Ease of manufacture

If wet processes are used for production, then the manufacturing cost decreases, but film formation quality is difficult to control

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing costVSAvoidfilm formation quality
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies self-service by designing the luminous host compound with intrinsic properties (flexible substructure enhancing molecular interactions) that enable it to self-organize into high-quality amorphous films during wet process deposition. The material's molecular characteristics automatically ensure proper film formation and morphology without requiring complex process control, allowing cost-effective manufacturing with consistent film quality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The compound achieves high luminescence efficiency, low driving voltage, and extended service life while allowing for uniform thin film formation, even under high temperature and humidity, making it suitable for wet process-based production.

Implementation Method 1

featuring a flexible substructure that enhances interaction between molecules

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMolecular interaction:

Implementation Method 2

Since Princeton University reported an organic EL element by phosphorescence from the excited triplet state, phosphorescent materials at room temperature have been extensively investigated for practical use.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPhosphorescence: Phosphorescence

Implementation Method 3

An electric field applied to such a light-emitting element recombines holes injected from the anode with electrons injected from the cathode in the luminous layer to generate excitons, which are deactivated with luminescence (fluorescence and/or phosphorescence)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectroluminescence: Electroluminescence

Data Source

PatentEP2930762B1Material for organic electroluminescent element, organic electroluminescent element, illumination device, and display device
Publication Date: 2020.09.16 KONICA MINOLTA INC
  • EP2930762B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2930762B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP2930762B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

An organic electroluminescent element material characterized in being a compound represented by general formula (1). (In general formula (1), each of R1-R3 individually represents a substituent group. At least one of R1-R3 is a group represented by general formula (2). If a plurality of each of R1-R3 are present, each of R1-R3 may be the same or different, and may also be boned to each other to form a ring. n1 represents an integer of 0-8, n2 represents an integer of 0-3, and n3 represents an integer of 0-4. n1+n2+n3 is 1 or greater. Cbz represents a carbazolyl group. X represents an oxygen atom or a sulfur atom. L1 represents a single bond or a divalent linking group.)