Effect of bisphenols on the electrical conductivity and structure of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene): poly(styrene sulfonate)

Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) doped with poly(4-styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT: PSS) films have strong potential for application in flexible transparent conductive electrodes. As secondary dopants, some polar solvents, such as methanol, dimethyl sulfoxide, and N,N-dimethylformamide, have been revealed to enhance the electrical conductivity of PEDOT: PSS by orders of magnitude. In this study, the electrical conductivity of PEDOT: PSS is shown to be enhanced by a bisphenol additive, bis (4-hydroxyphenyl) sulfone (BPS). The effects of BPS on the chemical structure of PEDOT: PSS were investigated using X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The PEDOT: PSS conformation is found to undergo a transformation into a highly conductive structure following the addition of BPS.