Synthesis and electrochemical properties of electroactive hyperbranched poly(aryl ether ketone) bearing oligoaniline segments

• A novel electroactive hyperbranched poly(aryl ether ketone) has been synthesized.
• The hyperbranched poly(aryl ether ketone) exhibits good electrochromic performance.
• The poly(aryl ether ketone) coatings display exciting anticorrosion behavior.

A novel electroactive hyperbranched poly(aryl ether ketone) (EHPAEK) with oligoaniline segments has been prepared by K2CO3-mediated nucleophilic aromatic polycondensation. The structure of EHPAEK was confirmed by Fourier-transform infrared spectra (FTIR), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). Its thermal stability and spectroscopic properties were also studied using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and UV–vis spectroscopy. Due to the oligoaniline segment, EHPAEK was found to be electroactive, which was explored by cyclic voltammetry in 0.5 M H2SO4. The electrochromism of EHPAEK thin film was examined using EHPAEK/ITO as the working electrode coupled with UV–vis spectroscopy, which exhibited good electrochromic properties with high contrast value, moderate switching times, acceptable coloration efficiency. Furthermore, the Tafel plots analysis and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy was applied to study the anticorrosion of the EHPAEK coatings on the cold rolled steel (CRS) in 3.5 wt% NaCl electrolyte solution. The enhanced corrosion protection ability of the EHPAEK coatings was ascribed to the redox catalytic capabilities of the oligoaniline segment.

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