Carrier mobilities of polymer/organo-clay nanocomposite electroluminescent devices

Light-emitting devices using a polymer/clay nanocomposite with good gas-barrier properties were fabricated by blending poly[2-methoxy-5-(2 ' -ethyl-hexyloxy)-1,4-phenylenevinylene] with organo-clay. This two-dimensional lamellar type nanocomposite structure efficiently confines not only electronic charge carriers but also ionic ones. Transient electroluminescent (EL) measurements of the light-emitting devices driven by pulsed voltage revealed that the electronic charge carrier mobility of the nanocomposite device was reduced, which suggests that the electronic char-e is blocked to improve the bipolar recombination rates. From transient current and EL behavior of the devices driven by applying a steady-state electric field, we determined the ionic charge mobilities of the devices and confirmed that the clay also hindered the movement of ionic charges within the composite. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.