Side substituent effects on iodine doping of arylene vinylene copolymers

A series of arylene vinylene copolymers containing either unsubstituted or phenyl-monosubstituted arylene units and 2,5-dialkoxy-1,4-phenylene units w as prepared from water soluble, sulfonium sail precursor polymers. Doping o f the polymer films with iodine vapor led to faster increases in conductivi ty for the phenyl-substituted copolymers compared to the unsubstituted one. This phenomenon can be ascribed to a enhanced dopant diffusion rate into t he copolymers due to less ordered morphologies. The introduction of long fl exible side chains was detrimental since it caused overdoping of polymer fi lms.