A solution-processed n-type conducting polymer with ultrahigh conductivity

Conducting polymers (CPs) with high conductivity and solution processability have made great advances since the pioneering work on doped polyacetylene1–3, thus creating the new field of ‘organic synthetic metals,4. Various high-performance CPs have been realized, which enable the applications of several organic electronic devices5,6. Nevertheless, most CPs exhibit hole-dominant (p-type) transport behaviour7,8, whereas the development of n-type analogues lags far behind and only a few exhibit metallic state, typically limited by low doping efficiency and ambient instability. Here we present a facilely synthesized highly conductive n-type polymer poly(benzodifurandione) (PBFDO). The reaction combines oxidative polymerization and in situ reductive n-doping, greatly increasing the doping efficiency, and a doping level of almost 0.9 charges per repeating unit can be achieved. The resultant polymer exhibits a breakthrough conductivity of more than 2,000 S cm−1 with excellent stability and an unexpected solution processability without extra side chains or surfactants. Furthermore, detailed investigations on PBFDO show coherent charge-transport properties and existence of metallic state. The benchmark performances in electrochemical transistors and thermoelectric generators are further demonstrated, thus paving the way for application of the n-type CPs in organic electronics.