Improved Alignment of PEDOT:PSS Induced by in-situ Crystallization of “Green” Dimethylsulfone Molecules to Enhance the Polymer Thermoelectric Performance

Dimethylsulfone (DMSO(2)), a small organic molecule, was observed to induce the alignment of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene): poly(4-styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) via in-situ crystallization in PEDOT:PSS mixture, which was verified by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). A chemically stable dopant, DMSO(2), remarkably raised the electrical conductivity of the PEDOT:PSS film, which was fabricated from pre-mixed solution of PEDOT:PSS and DMSO(2), up to 1080 S/cm, and more importantly, such a PEDOT:PSS film showed a long-term humidity stability and it retained near 90% electric conductivity after 60 days, suggesting DMSO(2) is promising for an eco-friendly alternative to replace dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), ethylene glycol (EG) and various acids dopants that have been widely employed to dope and post-treat PEDOT:PSS. Pairwise interaction energies and free energy of solvation between PEDOT:PSS and DMSO(2) were calculated by first-principles and molecular mechanics, respectively, revealing the mechanism of DMSO(2) in enhancing the electrical conductivity.