Molecular doping is a powerful method to fine-tune the thermoelectric properties of organic semiconductors, in particular to impart the requisite electrical conductivity. The incorporation of molecular dopants can, however, perturb the microstructure of semicrystalline organic semiconductors, which complicates the development of a detailed understanding of structure-property relationships. To better understand how the doping pathway and the resulting dopant counterion influence the thermoelectric performance and transport properties, a new dimer dopant, (N-DMBI) 2 , is developed. Subsequently, FBDPPV is then n-doped with dimer dopants (N-DMBI) 2 , (RuCp*mes) 2 , and the hydride-donor dopant N-DMBI-H. By comparing the UV-vis-NIR absorption spectra and morphological characteristics of the doped polymers, it is found that not only the doping mechanism, but also the shape of the counterion strongly influence the thermoelectric properties and transport characteristics. (N-DMBI) 2 , which is a direct electron-donating dopant with a comparatively small, relatively planar counterion, gives the best power factor among the three systems studied here. Additionally, temperature-dependent conductivity and Seebeck coefficient measurements differ between the three dopants with (N-DMBI) 2 yielding the best thermoelectric properties.
Solution‐processable highly conductive polymers are of great interest in emerging electronic applications. For p‐doped polymers, conductivities as high a nearly 105 S cm−1 have been reported. In the case of n‐doped polymers, they often fall well short of the high values noted above, which might be achievable, if much higher charge‐carrier mobilities determined could be realized in combination with high charge‐carrier densities. This is in part due to inefficient doping and dopant ions disturbing the ordering of polymers, limiting efficient charge transport and ultimately the achievable conductivities. Here, n‐doped polymers that achieve a high conductivity of more than 90 S cm−1 by a simple solution‐based co‐deposition method are reported. Two conjugated polymers with rigid planar backbones, but with disordered crystalline structures, exhibit surprising structural tolerance to, and excellent miscibility with, commonly used n‐dopants. These properties allow both high concentrations and high mobility of the charge carriers to be realized simultaneously in n‐doped polymers, resulting in excellent electrical conductivity and thermoelectric performance.
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