Oligomer Electrolytes for Light-Emitting Electrochemical Cells: Influence of the End Groups on Ion Coordination, Ion Binding, and Turn-on Kinetics

The electrolyte is an essential constituent of the light-emitting electrochemical cell (LEC), since its operating mechanism is dependent on the redistribution of mobile ions in the active layer. Recent developments of new ion transporters have yielded high-performance devices, but knowledge about the interactions between the ionic species and the ion transporters and the influence of these interactions on the LEC performance is lacking. We therefore present a combined computational and experimental effort that demonstrates that the selection of the end group in a star-branched oligomeric ion transporter based on trimethylolpropane ethoxylate has a paramount influence on the ionic interactions in the electrolyte and thereby also on the performance of the corresponding LECs. With hydroxyl end groups, the the salt is strongly coordinated to the ion transporter, which leads to suppression of ion pairing, but the penalty is a hindered ion release and a slow turn-on for the LEC devices. With methoxy end groups, an intermediate coordination strength is seen together with the formation of contact ion pairs, but the LEC performance is very good with fast turn-on. Using a series of ion transporters with alkyl carbonate end groups, the ion transporter:cation coordination strength is lowered further, but the turn-on kinetics are slower than what is seen for devices comprising the methoxy end-capped ion transporter.