Aqueous/Alcohol‐Soluble Carbon Dot Light‐Emitting Diodes

S Shihao Sha (State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering College of Materials Science and Engineering Beijing University of Chemical Technology Beijing China) Q Qirui Hou (Key Laboratory of Brain-Like Neuromorphic Devices and Systems of Hebei Province, College of Electronic and Information Engineering, Hebei University , Baoding 071002,) Z Zongzhi Yang (State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering College of Materials Science and Engineering Beijing University of Chemical Technology Beijing China) B Biao Zhao Q Qianglong Lv Z Zhuoxu Liu (State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering College of Materials Science and Engineering Beijing University of Chemical Technology Beijing China) Y Yizhao Qing (State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering College of Materials Science and Engineering Beijing University of Chemical Technology Beijing China) H Huanyu Ma (Center for Transformative Science and School of Physical Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University 3 , Shanghai 201210,) C Chen Zhang (Shenzhen Institute for Quantum Science and Engineering, Department of Chemistry, and Department of Physics) B Bing Han R Runnan Yu Z Zhan'ao Tan (Beijing University of Chemical Technology Beijing China)

Abstract

ABSTRACT Fluorescent carbon dots (CDs), benefiting from their environmental friendliness, solution processability, tunable emission spectra, and high photoluminescence efficiency, have shown great promise for next‐generation solid‐state lighting and flat panel displays. CDs are typically synthesized via hydrothermal methods, exhibiting excellent solubility in water and alcohols. However, due to the absence of suitable alcohol‐soluble host materials, aqueous/alcohol‐soluble CDs have so far failed to achieve electroluminescence. Herein, a bipolar host material named 2PCT is specifically designed for aqueous/alcohol‐soluble CD‐based electroluminescent light‐emitting diodes (LEDs). Specifically, the introduction of donor‐acceptor units and diethyl phosphite groups enables 2PCT to have excellent bipolar transport properties and film‐forming capability. Moreover, the high solubility of 2PCT in ethanol and low production cost position it as a promising candidate for large‐scale green manufacturing of CD‐based LEDs. Using 2PCT as the host material, we have successfully fabricated multicolor (green, yellow, and red) CD‐LEDs with record‐breaking performance benchmarks among ethanol‐processed CD‐based optoelectronic devices. Benefiting from the alcohol‐compatible processing, we have further achieved air‐stable fabrication of CD‐LEDs with an extended emission area of 16 cm 2 , which holds significant potential for large‐area optoelectronic applications.

Article Details

Volume / Issue Vol. 38, Issue 41
Published July 01, 2026
ISSN 0935-9648
Publisher Unknown Publisher

Journal Info

Advanced Materials

Unknown Publisher

ISSN: 0935-9648 Physical Sciences

Authors (12)

S

Shihao Sha

State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering College of Materials Science and Engineering Beijing University of Chemical Technology Beijing China

Q

Qirui Hou

Key Laboratory of Brain-Like Neuromorphic Devices and Systems of Hebei Province, College of Electronic and Information Engineering, Hebei University , Baoding 071002,

Z

Zongzhi Yang

State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering College of Materials Science and Engineering Beijing University of Chemical Technology Beijing China

B

Biao Zhao

Q

Qianglong Lv

Z

Zhuoxu Liu

State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering College of Materials Science and Engineering Beijing University of Chemical Technology Beijing China

Y

Yizhao Qing

State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering College of Materials Science and Engineering Beijing University of Chemical Technology Beijing China

H

Huanyu Ma

Center for Transformative Science and School of Physical Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University 3 , Shanghai 201210,

C

Chen Zhang

Shenzhen Institute for Quantum Science and Engineering, Department of Chemistry, and Department of Physics

B

Bing Han

R

Runnan Yu

Z

Zhan'ao Tan

Beijing University of Chemical Technology Beijing China