Researchers from the University of Michigan led by Jinsang Kim developed new pure-organic phosphorescence materials made primarily of inexpensive carbon, oxygen, chlorine and bromine and are "easy" to synthesize. This is the first time anyone created an phosphorescence OLED that does not contain any metals. These materials could be used to create cheaper OLEDs (as OLEDs today still need a little bit of expensive metals in them). The new materials exhibit quantum yields of 55%.
The light in those OLEDs comes from oxygen and carbon molecules called "aromatic carbonyls". These materials form strong halogen bonds with halogens in the crystal to pack the molecules tightly. This arrangement suppresses vibration and heat energy losses as the excited electrons fall back to the ground state, leading to strong phosphorescence.
The University of Michigan is now pursuing patent protection for the intellectual property, and is seeking commercialization partners to help.
