A soluble and multichromic conducting polythiophene derivative

A new soluble polythiophene derivative was synthesized by both chemical and electrochemical oxidative polymerization of 1-4-nitrophenyl-2,5-di(2-thienyl)-1H-pyrrole (SNSNO2). Chemical method produces a polymer which is completely soluble in organic solvents. The structures of both the monomer and the soluble polymer were elucidated by 1H and 13C-NMR and FTIR. The average molecular weight has been determined by GPC to be Mn = 6.3 × 103 for the chemically synthesized polymer. P(SNSNO2) was also synthesized via potentiostatic electrochemical polymerization. Characterizations of the resulting polymer were performed by cyclic voltammetry CV, FTIR and UV–Vis spectroscopy. Four-probe technique was used to measure the conductivities of the samples. Moreover, the spectroelectrochemical and electrochromic properties of the polymer film were investigated. In addition, dual type polymer electrochromic devices ECDs based on P(SNSNO2) with poly3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (PEDOT) were constructed. Spectroelectrochemistry, electrochromic switching and open circuit stability of the devices were studied. They were found to have good switching times, reasonable contrasts and optical memories.