Highly conductive, regioregular alkoxy-functionalized polythiophenes: A new class of stable, low band gap materials

The synthesis and and unique physical properties for a new class of regioregular 3-alkoxy functionalized polythiopenes that exhibit high electrical conductivities and very good stabilities when doped with iodine vapor followed by exposure to ambient conditions were presented. An air doping of the polymers by atmospheric oxygen was also presented. It was observed that the increase in the conductivity was due to either doping with atmospheric oxygen or the release of excess iodine from the polymer. At high doped levels, the UV-Vis-NIR spectra exhibited a single strong electronic absorption, indicating formation of bipolarons and displaying characteristics of the free-carrier absorption of the metallic state.