Electrochemical and Optical Characterization of a Multielectrochromic Copolymer Based on 3,4-Ethylenedioxythiophene and Functionalized Dithienylpyrrole Derivative

Abstract

A novel conjugated copolymer, namely poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene-co-1-(3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-2,5-di(thiophen-2-yl)-1H-pyrrole) (P(EDOT-co-1)) was synthesized via electropolymerization method from a mixture of 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene and 1-(3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-2,5-di(thiophen-2-yl)-1H-pyrrole comonomers. The corresponding copolymer has an optical band gap of 1.7 eV and 41% optical contrast at 525 nm with a coloration efficiency of 258 cm(2)/C and 1.4 s switching time. The copolymer has a multi-electrochromic behavior: It has dark purple, purple, gray, green and cyan colors at different oxidation states. Electrochemical stability of P(EDOT-co-1) copolymer was also investigated and it was observed that the copolymer retained 86% of its stability under ambient conditions in the presence of oxygen (without purging the electrolyte solution with any inert gas) according to the current density and 83% according to the deposited charge even after 1000 redox cycles.