Highly conductive alcohol-processable n-type conducting polymer enabled by finely tuned electrostatic interactions for green organic electronics

Solution-processable conducting polymers open up a new era in organic electronics, fundamentally altering the processing methods of electronic devices. P-type conducting polymers, exemplified by aqueous solution-processed poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS), have been successfully commercialized. However, the performance of electron-transporting (n-type) materials remains considerably poorer. One of the primary challenges lies in striking a balance between conductivity and solvent processability. At present, most n-type conducting polymers necessitate toxic solvents for processing, which contradicts environmentally sustainable principles and impedes their potential for large-scale industrial applications. Herein, we developed an alcohol-processable high-performance n-type conducting polymer, poly(3,7-dihydrobenzo[1,2-b:4,5-b']difuran-2,6-dione): poly(2-ethyl-2-oxazoline) (PBFDO:PEOx), which utilizes electrostatic interactions between PEOx and PBFDO to simultaneously achieve high conductivity and alcohol-processability. The PBFDO:PEOx films exhibit remarkable electrical conductivity exceeding 1000 S cm-1 with outstanding stability even at temperatures up to 250 °C, establishing it as a prominent green solvent-processed n-type conducting polymer that rivals the most advanced p-type counterparts. Various applications including organic thermoelectric, electrochemical transistor and electrochromic devices were showcased, highlighting the broad potential of PBFDO:PEOx in advancing green organic electronics.