Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence in Phase-Separated Nanostructures

van den Bersselaar BW, Beneventi GM, Greißel P, Mai L, Maessen SJ, de Waal BF, Meijer EW, Guldi DM, Vantomme G (2026)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2026

Journal

Advanced Functional Materials Wiley-VCH Verlag

Book Volume: 36

Article Number: e28822

Journal Issue: 31

DOI: 10.1002/adfm.202528822

Abstract

Organic light-emitting materials that exploit thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) are of wide interest for next-generation display and lighting technologies. However, many state-of-the-art organic TADF emitters use electron donor–acceptor (D–A) architectures that often crystallize, which can hamper processability. Here, we report that the spontaneous formation of supramolecular nanostructures through phase separation generates a charge transfer (CT) complex with TADF properties, providing a novel approach to the design of emissive materials. This design involves functionalizing crystalline pyromellitic diimides (PMDIs) with a discrete oligodimethylsiloxane (oDMS) linker to induce phase separation while improving processability. Mixing the electron acceptor PMDI-oDMS with the electron donor 4,5-dibromoveratrole (DBV) forms a CT complex. Using X-ray scattering experiments, we demonstrate that the intercalation of DBVs results in lamellar nanostructures with 20% less domain spacing than PMDI-oDMS homo-aggregates. Characterization of the CT complex using emission and transient absorption spectroscopy over a wide temperature range provided compelling evidence of TADF in drop-casted thin films, in which PMDI-oDMS and DBV are well-ordered. Altogether, our results demonstrate that controlled nanoscale organization can serve as a design principle for TADF materials, opening a new route to the development of modular and processable emitters.

Authors with CRIS profile

Giovanni Mariano Beneventi Lehrstuhl für Physikalische Chemie I Phillip Greißel Lehrstuhl für Physikalische Chemie I Lukas Mai Lehrstuhl für Physikalische Chemie I

Involved external institutions

Eindhoven University of Technology / Technische Universiteit Eindhoven (TU/e) NL Netherlands (NL)

How to cite

APA:

van den Bersselaar, B.W., Beneventi, G.M., Greißel, P., Mai, L., Maessen, S.J., de Waal, B.F.,... Vantomme, G. (2026). Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence in Phase-Separated Nanostructures. Advanced Functional Materials, 36(31). https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202528822

MLA:

van den Bersselaar, Bart W.L., et al. "Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence in Phase-Separated Nanostructures." Advanced Functional Materials 36.31 (2026).

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