Synthesis of all-deuterated tris(2-phenylpyridine)iridium for highly stable electrophosphorescence: the “deuterium effect”

Device stability and life-time rank the key issues for PhOLEDs. We synthesized deuterated Ir(ppy)3-D24. A device based on it has a current density twenty times higher than and a life-time six times longer than devices based on Ir(ppy)3. The more stable C–D bond is found to be the main contributing factor, called the “deuterium effect”.