The effect of pH on the electrochemical over-oxidation in PEDOT:PSS films

Chemical degradation of conjugated polymers is one cause of material failures in polymer-based (opto)electronic devices, but can also be used as a technique for subtractive patterning of polymer films. When a large anodic potential is applied to the conducting polymer blend poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-poly(4styrenesulfonate), PEDOT:PSS, an over-oxidation reaction occurs, altering its electrical conductivity. Here, we have studied the effect of pH on the electrochemical over-oxidation process of PEDOT in PEDOT:PSS. High pH is associated with a decrease of over-oxidation potential and an increase of resistivity in the resulting film. Vibrational spectroscopy and photoelectron spectroscopy measurements on over-oxidized PEDOT:PSS films indicate that the decrease in conductivity results from cleavage of the conjugation pathway accompanied by the formation of sulfone, carbonyl and carboxylic groups in the polymer chain.