Self-Healable Quantum Dot/Polymer Composite Film for Quantum Dot Light-Emitting Diodes

Highly stretchable, self-healable material engineering is key for next-generation stretchable light-emitting devices. Despite recent progress in intrinsically stretchable materials for light-emitting layer (EML), the formation and propagation of irreversible cracks on the EML remain a significant challenge, leading to rapid device failure. Here we report material design of self-healable and stretchable quantum dot (QD) based EML for stable and stretchable quantum dot light-emitting diodes (QLEDs). We fabricated a homogeneous ternary composite film by blending QDs, self-healable elastomer, and a semiconducting polymer. Upon optimization of the composition, the composite film exhibited autonomous self-healing ability at room temperature, and high stretchability while the optical properties of QDs remained intact. The resulting intrinsically stretchable QLED with self-healable EML demonstrated enhanced stability under repeated deformations.