Electrochemical polymerization of 9-fluorenecarboxylic acid and its electrochromic device application

Poly(9-fluorenecarboxylic acid) (PFCA) was synthesized by electrochemical oxidation of 9-fluorenecarboxylic acid (FCA) using a mixture of nitromethane and boron trifluoride diethyl etherate as the solvent and tetrabutylammonium tetrafluoroborate as the supporting electrolyte. An insoluble and conducting brownish-orange film was deposited on the electrode surface, both during repetitive cycling and constant potential electrolysis at 1.15 V. Characterization of the polymer film has been carried out using Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy technique and thermal behavior was studied via thermal gravimetric analysis. Structural analysis showed that the polymerization of FCA occurred at 2,7-position. Spectroelectrochemical behavior of the polymer film on indium tin oxide working electrode was studied by recording the electronic absorption spectra, in-situ, in monomer-free electrolytic solution at different potentials and it is found that the PFCA film can be reversibly cycled between 0.0 V and 1.2 V. Furthermore, a dual type electrochromic device based on PFCA was constructed and its spectroelectrochemical properties were investigated. The electrochromic device exhibits color change from transparent to dark blue with a good open circuit memory.