Fabricating multi-scale controllable PEDOT:PSS arrays <i>via</i> templated freezing assembly.

Lin, Yang; Mao, Junqiang; Fan, Qingrui; Wang, Jianjun · Soft Matter · 2024

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

The fabrication of conducting polymer poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) into controllable hierarchical arrays is gaining increasing interest for various applications, <i>e.g.</i>, bioelectronics, and regenerative medicine. Currently, solution-based print processing is the main methodology for fabricating PEDOT:PSS arrays. However, its constraints on crystallinity and polymer chain orientation often necessitate intricate post-processing procedures to enhance their material properties. Here, we report the precise control in the assembly of PEDOT:PSS to have customized arrays <i>via</i> a templated freezing assembly strategy (TFA). We can prepare centimeter-scale PEDOT:PSS patterns with tunable micro-morphology, nanofiber width, crystallinity, and polymer chain orientation. Importantly, the refined micro-morphologies endow good stretchability to the obtained arrays, and regulated crystallinity and polymer chain orientation directly lead to adjustable conductivity, ranging from 10<sup>-3</sup> S cm<sup>-1</sup> to 10<sup>0</sup> S cm<sup>-1</sup>. This strategy provides a novel avenue for fabricating conductive polymers into tailored electric devices, suggesting potential applications in flexible electronic devices and beyond.