Polyanionic, alkylthiosulfate-based thiol precursors for conjugated polymer self-assembly onto gold and silver

Anionic, conjugated thiophene- and fluorene-based polyelectrolytes with alkylthiosulfate side chains undergo hydrolysis under formation of alkylthiol and dialkyldisulfide functions. The hydrolysis products can be deposited onto gold or silver surfaces by self-assembly from solutions of the anionic conjugated polyelectrolyte (CPE) precursors in polar solvents such as methanol. This procedure allows solution-based surface modifications of gold and silver electrodes using environmentally friendly solvents and enables the formation of conjugated polymer bilayers. The herein presented alkylthiosulfate-substituted CPEs are promising candidates for increasing the work function of gold and silver electrodes thus improving hole injection from such electrode assemblies into organic semiconductors.