New electrochromic copolymers based on spiro bipropylenedioxythiophene and 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene

Two alkylenedioxythiophene derivatives, spiro bipropylenedioxythiophene (Spiro-BiProDOT) and 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT), were integrated electrochemically in order to attain low band gap electrochromic copolymers. EDOT has a functionality of two, which causes a linear polymer, whereas Spiro-BiProDOT has a functionality of four and its polymerization results in a network polymer. Therefore, by playing the monomer feed ratio, the crosslink degree can be adjusted for the copolymers obtained electrochemically from EDOT and Spiro-BiProDOT monomers in an electrolyte solution of 0.1 M tetrabutyl ammonium hexafluorophosphate dissolved in dichloromethane. It was found that copolymers showed different electrochemical and optical properties at their various redox states when compared to their homopolymers. For example, they could be switched from dark blue in the neutral state to reddish blue at intermediate state and finally to transparent blue in the oxidized state with 45-51% of the transmittance change at 575-595 nm. π-π* transition bands of the copolymers can be shifted to higher wavelengths when compared to poly(Spiro-BiProDOT) by increasing the amount of the EDOT units in the polymer backbone. They have low band gaps in the range of 1.65 and 1.73 eV.