Improved the conductivity of PEDOT:PSS by magnetic field for bio-electrode applications

Abstract

Poly(3,4-ehtylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) is a mixture of two ionomers. Especially, its conductive polymer PEDOT is well-known conductive polymer widely utilized for organic and stretchable device fabrication. However, PEDOT:PSS itself is not conductive polymer owing to another ionomer PSS so that pretreatment is necessary to enable PEDOT. Recently, it is found that hydrothermal (HT) treatment significantly increases the activity of PEDOT:PSS up to 250 times [1]. Also, this treatment has advantages in that it is compatible with biological environments since it doesn’t leave organic solution or strong acid. Here, we introduce additional improvement of PEDOT:PSS activation, more than twice, applying magnetic field over hydrothermal treatment. We also exhibit analysis of molecular structure with Raman spectroscopy, XPS, and GIWAXS. The results shows enhanced attraction force between PEDOT:PSS and water molecules.