Publication date: 21st July 2025
Conjugated polymers bearing polar side chains are capable of supporting mixed electronic and ionic conduction, including in aqueous electrolytes, and as such are attractive candidates for electrodes in electrochemical devices such as sensors and energy storage devices [1]. Performance of devices is controlled by the rate of charging and discharging, the sensitivity of conduction to applied bias, the depth of charging and the stability of the materials under electrochemical cycling. These properties depend, in turn, on the chemical structure of the polymer backbone and side chains and the choice of electrolyte. We will report on studies using operando measurements and simulations to demonstrate how polymer chemical structure, electrolyte and charging conditions control these functional properties of the electrode. We show how side chain design can assist cycling stability, how electrolyte composition influences ion dynamics during charging and how polymer backbone structure controls specific capacity [2,3]. The findings can help to develop chemical designs for improved conjugated polymer electrodes for aqueous environments.