A Planar Cyclopentadithiophene–Benzothiadiazole-Based Copolymer with sp2-Hybridized Bis(alkylsulfanyl)methylene Substituents for Organic Thermoelectric Devices

A semicrystalline p-type thermoelectric conjugated polymer based on a polymer backbone of cyclopentadithiophene and benzothiadiazole, poly[(4,4′-(bis(hexyldecylsulfanyl)methylene)cyclopenta[2,1-b:3,4-b′]dithiophene)-alt-(benzo[c][1,2,5]thiadiazole)] (PCPDTSBT), is designed and synthesized by replacing normal alkyl side-chains with bis(alkylsulfanyl)methylene substituents. The sp2-hybridized olefinic bis(alkylsulfanyl)methylene side-chains and the sulfur–sulfur (S–S) chalcogen interactions extend a chain planarity with strong interchain packing, which is confirmed by density functional calculations and morphological studies, i.e., grazing incidence X-ray scattering measurement. The doping, electrical, morphological, and thermoelectric characteristics of PCPDTSBT are investigated by comparison with those of poly[(4,4′-bis(2-ethylhexyl)cyclopenta[2,1-b:3,4-b′]dithiophene)-alt-(benzo[c][1,2,5]thiadiazole)] (PCPDTBT) with ethylhexyl side-chains. Upon doping with a Lewis acid, B(C6F5)3, the maximum electrical c...