Doping effect of dodecyl benzene sulphonic acid in poly(3-hexylthiophene)-P3HT-films

• We aimed to dope P3HT films with dodecyl benzene sulphonic acid (DBSA).
• Effects of DBSA addition on the physical properties of P3HT have been investigated.
• DBSA doped the P3HT films efficiently and conductivity increased nearly 1000 times.
• DBSA also changed the crystallinity, ionization potential and absorption of P3HT.
• DBSA doping can open new pathways for structural/electronic control of OPV blends.

We demonstrated that how dodecyl benzene sulphonic acid (DBSA) as a small-molecular dopant, affects the spectroscopic, electronic and structural properties of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT). The DBSA volume ratio was varied from 0.001 μL to 30 μL per 1 mL P3HT solvent in p-xylene. DBSA doping reaction was confirmed by the emerging huge absorption peak at the wavelength of ∼800 nm while the ionization potential and nanostructure of P3HT films were highly affected. Additionally, conductivity of P3HT films increased nearly 1000 times at 30 μL DBSA. The crystallinity, as well as the conductivity and the UV–Vis absorption changed with the presence of P3HT. P3HT grain sized crystals seems to be disturbed by the addition of DBSA, but still remained even more DBSA was introduced. DBSA doping has interesting properties when incorporated in OFTs, OPVs and bioelectronics applications, so addition of DBSA can open new pathways for structural, spectroscopic and electronic control of organic semiconductor’s blends.

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