A soluble conducting polymer: 1-Phenyl-2,5-di(2-thienyl)-1H-pyrrole and its electrochromic application

A thiophene-functionalized monomer 1-phenyl-2,5-di(2-thienyl)-1H-pyrrole (PTP) was synthesized. The chemical polymerization of PTP (CPTP) was realized by using FeCl3 as the oxidant. The structures of both the monomer and the soluble polymer (CPTP) were investigated by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (1H and 13C NMR) and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR). The average molecular weight of the chemically synthesized polymer was determined by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) as Mn = 7.2 × 103. The electrochemical oxidative polymerization of PTP was carried out via constant-potential electrolysis. Characterizations of the resulting polymer were done by cyclic voltammetry (CV), FTIR, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and UV–vis Spectroscopy. The conductivity of sample was measured by four-probe technique. Moreover, the spectroelectrochemical and electrochromic properties of the polymer film were investigated. Spectroelectrochemical analysis of P(PTP) revealed electronic transitions at 413, 577 and 884 nm corresponding to π–π* transition, polaron, and bipolaron band formations, respectively. Kinetic studies evaluated the switching ability of the P(PTP); the percent transmittance T% was found as 27%. The homopolymer of PTP was used to construct dual-type polymer electrochromic devices (ECDs) against poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT). Spectroelectrochemistry, electrochromic switching and open circuit stability of the devices were investigated.