Scientists at the Goethe University in Germany have developed a new class of organic luminescent materials through the targeted introduction of boron atoms into the molecular structures of graphene. The compound feature an intensive blue fluorescence and are therefore of interest for use in organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs).
A comparison of the new boron-containing nanographenes with an analogous boron-free material verifies the fact that the boron atoms have a great impact on two important properties of an OLED: the fluorescence shifts into the desirable blue spectral range and the capacity to transport electrons is substantially improved. currently, very limited use can be made of boron-containing nanographenes, since most of the exponents are sensitive to air and moisture. The scientists in this study claim that this problem does not occur with their materials, which is important with regard to practical applications.
The researchers predict that materials such as these boron-infused graphene flakes they have developed will be particularly useful for use in portable electronic devices, as film displays for future generations of smartphones and tablets and even rollable large-scale screens.