Tuning of PEDOT:PSS Properties Through Covalent Surface Modification

Abstract

Conductive polymer (poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) is an attractive platform for the design of flexible electronic, optoelectronic, and (bio)sensor devices. Practical application of PEDOT:PSS often requires an incorporation of specific molecules or moieties for tailoring of its physical-chemical properties. In this article, a method for covalent modification of PEDOT:PSS using arenediazonium tosylates was proposed. The procedure includes two steps: chemisorption of diazo-cations on the PEDOT:PSS surface followed by thermal decomposition of the diazonium salt and the covalent bond formation. Structural and surface properties of the samples were evaluated by XPS, SEM-EDX, AFM, goniometry, and a range of electric and optical measurements. The developed modification procedure enables tuning of the PEDOT:PSS surface properties such as conductivity and optical absorption. The possibility to introduce various organic functional groups (from hydrophilic to hydrophobic) and to create new groups for further functionalization makes the developed procedure multipurpose. electronic and optoelectronic PEDOT serves as useful material for construction of flexible devices and is often reported as an essential component for light power conversion devices and thermoelectric power generators. [11][12][13] Due to the broad range of PEDOT:PSS potential applications, its surface properties must be tuned to meet the criteria of a particular area of interest. 14,15 To improve the interaction with noble metals, perovskite, ITO, tissues and cells, the properties such as surface wettability, morphology, adhesion, roughness, conductivity, degradability, biocompatibility, electrical, and optical properties of PEDOT:PSS must be carefully tuned. 16,17 Various physical and chemical methods have been reported for altering of surface properties of PEDOT:PSS at differing levels of success. [18][19][20] Functionalization for a specific application can be performed in several ways-(i) chemisorption of charged molecules via electrostatic interactions, 21,22 (ii) entrapping, or (iii) electrochemical polymerization with Additional Supporting Information may be found in the online version of this article.

Tailoring vertical phase distribution of quasi-two-dimensional perovskite films via surface modification of hole-transporting layer

“…(in BrB-PEDOT:PSS). That suggests there exists the conversion of –SO 3 − (ionic bond) to –SO 2 –O– (covalent bond) 42,43 . After modification, the zeta potential of the PEDOT:PSS shifts from −53 to −29 mV (Fig.…”

Flexible Conductive Polymer Film Grafted with Azo-Moieties and Patterned by Light Illumination with Anisotropic Conductivity

“…First, thin PEDOT:PSS films were deposited on the flexible PLLA substrates (25 µm thick). Then diazonium modification was carried out, according to the previously described procedure [37], in order to graft the 4-nitroazophenylen moieties to PSS chains (grafted samples were further referred to as PEDOT:PSS-NAP). The 4-nitroazophenylene moieties can undergo the light-induced isomerization under the illumination with a wavelength corresponding to E- or Z -isomer.…”

“…The creation of anisotropic conductivity in PEDOT films was demonstrated recently through the PEDOT doping with anisotropic particles [35,36]. Recently, we demonstrated the ability of the local tuning of PEDOT:PSS local conductivity in a great range through the incorporation of light-isomerized chemical moieties and light-induced migration of PSS chains from the illuminated area and local increase of PEDOT concentration [37,38]. In this work, we extended the above-mentioned approach on the preparation of the PEDOT:PSS film with anisotropy in a surface electrical conductivity by a simple and scalable procedure.…”

Nanostructural Modification of PEDOT:PSS for High Charge Carrier Collection in Hybrid Frontal Interface of Solar Cells

“…In the field of pure organic solar cell technology, it is well known that the characteristics of PEDOT:PSS should be modified by applying physical or chemical postdeposition treatments in order to tailor characteristics according to the function of the conducting polymer [18,19,20]. For example, the dark conductivity of PEDOT:PSS films can be modified by orders of magnitude via solvent treatment [21,22].…”