Use of ionomer as an electron injecting and hole blocking material for polymer light-emitting diode

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Abstract
Light-emitting diodes of poly[2-methoxy-5-(2′-ethyl-hexyloxy)-1,4-phenylene vinylene] (MEHPPV) are fabricated using sodium sulfonated polystyrene (SSPS) ionomer containing 10 mol % ionic groups as an electron injecting and hole blocking material. When an electric field stronger than 2.7×107 V/m is applied, SSPS in the indium–tin oxide ITO/MEH-PPV/SSPS/Al system causes a bridging effect between sodium ions and the Al cathode at the SSPS/Al interface, leading to excellent electron injection. Furthermore, the ionomer has a high band gap energy of ∼5 eV, resulting in hole blocking. The operating voltage for the ITO/MEH-PPV/SSPS/Al is reduced by ∼60% and the relative quantum efficiency is enhanced by three orders of magnitude compared with those of the corresponding single-layer MEH-PPV device.