Improved performance of polymer light-emitting diodes using graphene oxide doped with silver nanoparticles as the hole-transport layer

Abstract

This study successfully demonstrates the fabrication of a thin film of graphene oxide doped with silver nanoparticles (GO:AgNPs) using electrochemical exfoliation and photochemical synthesis. The GO:AgNPs thin film exhibits a higher work function and conductivity compared to poly[3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene] polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS), making it a promising candidate for the hole-transport layer in polymer light-emitting diodes (PLEDs). Among various configurations, a PLED incorporating GO:AgNPs as the interlayer, which is prepared under blue-light illumination, exhibits optimal luminescent performance. This configuration achieves the highest luminance of 6341 cd/m2 and the highest average current efficiency of 1.87 cd/A. Notably, this novel PLED demonstrates a remarkable 168 % enhancement in average current efficiency and an impressive 637 % increase in electroluminescence intensity compared to a PLED employing a PEDOT:PSS interlayer.