Optimizing the oxidation level of PEDOT anode in air-PEDOT battery

Abstract

"We report an air-PEDOT battery where an optimized oxidation level of the PEDOT anode was performed using a simple dedoping process, resulting in batteries with high stability in air. Some PEDOT:PSS chains were reduced to their neutral state, preserving their good electrical conductivity, by dipping the PEDOT:PSS films into mixtures of 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene (DBU) and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). Because of the neutral PEDOT chains are susceptible to being reoxidized in air, polyethyleneimine (PEI) was coated on these DMSO-DBU/PEDOT:PSS anodes to ensure their air stability and to maintain their low level of oxidation during the battery operation. The difference in the oxidation level between the dedoped PEDOT:PSS and pristine PEDOT:PSS electrodes produces an open circuit voltage of about 0.80 V almost constant by several days (around 30 days) in air. These batteries present discharge currents of ?2 ?A with an electrical load of 0.1 M? during 10 h of operation, output powers of ?1.2 ?W, using an electrical load of 265 k?, which is in the required range for powering wireless transceiver and sensors."