Ink Formulation for Printed Organic Electronics: Investigating Effects of Aggregation on Structure and Rheology of Functional Inks Based on Conjugated Polymers in Mixed Solvents

The utilization of solution‐processable organic semiconducting (OSC) polymers and the development of industrial‐relevant printing techniques enable cost‐efficient fabrication of optoelectronic devices for the mass market. Yet, the adaptation of viscoelastic properties of a functional ink to the respective printing technology is challenging. One crucial parameter is the formulation of the ink, which can be adjusted by selecting the combination of solvents that are mixed with the OSC. The current study considers model functional inks composed of a poly‐phenylene‐vinylene‐based OSC and two solvents, empirically known to be good. Their quality is quantified using the Hansen solubility parameters. The influence of the composition of the solvent mixture on structural, dynamical, and rheological behavior of the ink is investigated with light scattering, viscometry, and rheometry. Although both solvents are considered good, polymer aggregation is found at all compositions. Aggregation depends on composition in a nontrivial way. For dilute and semi‐dilute inks, the effects of aggregates on the ink viscosity are hidden by the difference in viscosities of the neat solvents. For elevated concentrations, the aggregates produce a hysteresis in the shear‐dependent viscosity, which should be considered when developing a functional ink for a particular printing technique

Inkjet-printed polymer-based electrochromic and electrofluorochromic dual-mode displays

We report on inkjet-printed dual-mode devices based on the synchronous electrochromic and electrofluorochromic effect of the polyindenofluoren-8-tryarylamine polymer (PIF8-TAA). Reference devices show switching times under 4 s, a coloration efficiency of 542 ± 10 cm² C¯¹ at 395 nm, an electrochromic contrast of 50 ± 4% in the visible spectra and a fluorescence contrast ratio of 4.1 ± 0.3. The material is highly transparent in its neutral state and changes to a deep red color by oxidation. Utilizing PEDOT:PSS as electrode material, inkjet printing enabled the fabrication of freely, digitally designed device layouts providing a cost-efficient method for low-level display applications. The results highlight the applicability of digitally printed dual-mode EFCD for signage or advertisements

Inkjet-Printed Photoluminescent Patterns of Aggregation-Induced-Emission Chromophores on Surface-Anchored Metal–Organic Frameworks

Organic chromophores that exhibit aggregation-induced emission (AIE) are of interest for applications in displays, lighting, and sensing, because they can maintain efficient emission at high molecular concentrations in the solid state. Such advantages over conventional chromophores could allow thinner conversion layers of AIE chromophores to be realized, with benefits in terms of the efficiency of the optical outcoupling, thermal management, and response times. However, it is difficult to create large-area optical quality thin films of efficiently performing AIE chromophores. Here, we demonstrate that this can be achieved by using a surface-anchored metal–organic framework (SURMOF) thin film coating as a host substrate, into which the tetraphenylethylene (TPE)-based AIE chromophore can be printed. We demonstrate that the SURMOF constrains the AIE-chromophore molecular conformation, affording efficient performance even at low loading densities in the SURMOF. As the loading density of the AIE chromophore in the SURMOF is increased, its absorption and emission spectra are tuned due to increased interaction between AIE molecules, but the high photoluminescent quantum yield (PLQY = 50% for this AIE chromophore) is maintained. Lastly, we demonstrate that patterns of the AIE chromophore with 70 μm feature sizes can be easily created by inkjet printing onto the SURMOF substrate. These results foreshadow novel possibilities for the creation of patterned phosphor thin films utilizing AIE chromophores for display or lighting applications