Aggregation of P3HT as a preferred pathway for its chemical doping with F₄-TCNQ

The chemical doping reaction of P3HT with F₄-TCNQ was studied by optical absorption spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, and Kelvin probe force microscopy. We demonstrate that P3HT aggregation preferentially occurs before the actual charge transfer step takes place, emphasizing the impact of morphology on the chemical doping reaction of conjugated polymers at the molecular level.