A blue to highly transmissive soluble electrochromic polymer based on poly(3,4-propylenedioxyselenophene) with a high stability and coloration efficiency

Abstract

The optical and electrochemical properties of a regioregular and soluble alkylenedioxyselenophene-based electrochromic polymer, namely poly(3,3-didecyl-3,4-dihydro-2H-selenopheno[3,4-b][1,4]dioxepine (PProDOS-C₁₀), which is synthesized by electrochemical polymerization, are highlighted. It is noted that this unique polymer has a low band gap (1.58 eV) and is exceptionally stable under ambient atmospheric conditions. Polymer films retain 97% of their electroactivity after 40 000 cycles. The percentage transmittance of a PProDOS-C₁₀ film was found to be 56.4% at 638 nm and 55.8% at 700 nm. Furthermore, this novel soluble PProDOS-C₁₀polymer shows an electrochromic behavior: a color change from pure blue to a highly transparent state in a low switching time (1.0 s) during oxidation, with high coloration efficiencies (328 cm²C⁻¹ at 638 nm and 319 cm²C⁻¹ at 700 nm) when compared to its thiophene analogue.