Intrinsically Stretchable Emissive Layer for Green and Red Phosphorescent OLEDs: Small Molecules Blended with SEBS Elastomer

In the field of stretchable electronics, intrinsically stretchable organic light-emitting diodes (IS-OLEDs) are considered to be essential units. However, research on stretchable electroluminescent layers for light-emitting devices is limited. The most common method to obtain an effective stretchable emitting layer is blending a conjugated polymer with an elastomer. In this study, blending small molecules with a thermoplastic styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene (SEBS) elastomer to fabricate a stretchable emitting layer is proposed. The mechanical, electrical, and morphological properties of the blended films are studied. The results show that the blended films can be stretched up to 200% without any morphological change such as cracking or particle shedding. Additionally, an OLED is fabricated with a stretchable electroluminescent layer and demonstrated its functionality.