Electrochromic properties of a novel low band gap conductive copolymer

A copolymer of 2,5-di(thiophen-2-yl)-1-p-tolyl-1H-pyrrole (DTTP) with 3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene (EDOT) was electrochemically synthesized. The resultant copolymer P(DTTP-co-EDOT) was characterized via cyclic voltammetry, FTIR, SEM, conductivity measurements and spectroelectrochemistry. Copolymer film has distinct electrochromic properties. It has four different colors (chestnut, khaki, camouflage green, and blue). At the neutral state λmax due to the π–π* transition was found to be 487 nm and Eg was calculated as 1.65 eV. Double potential step chronoamperometry experiment shows that copolymer film has good stability, fast switching time (less than 1 s) and good optical contrast (20%).An electrochromic device based on P(DTTP-co-EDOT) and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) was constructed and characterized. The device showed reddish brown color at −0.6 V when the P(DTTP-co-EDOT) layer was in its reduced state; whereas blue color at 2.0 V when PEDOT was in its reduced state and P(DTTP-co-EDOT) layer was in its oxidized state. At 0.2 V intermediate green state was observed. Maximum contrast (%ΔT) and switching time of the device were measured as 18% and 1 s at 615 nm. ECD has good environmental and redox stability.