Data from: Intrinsic doping and electrostatic complexation of sulfonated poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophenes) (PEDOTs)

Self-doped conjugated polymers represent a compelling strategy for
achieving efficient electrostatically complexed ionic networks without the
need for external dopants. In this work, we present a previously
unreported class of sulfonated poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT)
derivatives that exhibit intrinsic self-doping and readily form stable
complexes with insulating polyelectrolytes. Notably, we show that even
minor variations in the side chain structure, such as a one-carbon
difference, have a profound effect on the polymers’ electrical
conductivity, structural order, and self-doping level. Using detailed
spectroscopic and electrochemical analyses, we reveal how these materials
intrinsically stabilize charge carriers and maintain their conductive
behavior after complexation. Our findings demonstrate that the self-doped
sites act as quasi-permanent ionic–electronic dipoles, creating a robust
and adjustable platform for next-generation soft electronic materials.
This data includes the raw data of spectroscopy (ultraviolet–visible
(UV–vis), mass spectrometry (MS), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR),
nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)), electronic (cyclic voltammetry (CV),
current–voltage (IV) curves of thin films), and thermal properties
(differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis
(TGA)).