Temperature‐triggered oxidative polymerization for high conductive poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene) sheets at millimeter scale

Abstract

AbstractPoly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) is one of the most widely used conductive polymers extensively applied in the electronic components and optoelectronic devices. However, its insolubility and infusibility lead to a complex in situ polymerization process or a sacrificed conductivity in practice. In this paper, we report a facile preparation method of high conductive PEDOT sheets through in situ oxidative polymerization of stable EDOT one‐pot prepolymerization solution. The prepolymerization solution is solvent‐free and can be maintained for more than 30 days at about −20°C. The oxidative polymerization can be triggered by temperature to achieve uniform PEDOT sheets with a thickness ranging from 200 nm to over 2 mm. The thick PEDOT sheets obtained through a mold exhibit a conductivity over 1 S cm−1 depending on the thickness. For electromagnetic shielding applications, PEDOT sheets of 500 μm thickness are capable of shielding over 99% of electromagnetic waves. The thin PEDOT sheets prepared by spin‐coating display high conductivity with a sheet resistance as low as 110 Ω sq−1, superior to those prepared by the oxidant‐triggered oxidative polymerization. The temperature‐triggered oxidative polymerization can be a promising strategy for the preparation of high conductive PEDOT sheets.