Electrochromic Devices Based on Ladder Polymer and Phenothiazine-Quinoline Copolymer Films

摘要

We describe the morphological, electrochemical, spectroelectrochemical characterization, and electrochromic device properties of several polymer films: ladder poly(benzobisimidazobenzophenanthroline) (BBL), semiladder poly(benzobisimidazobenzophenanthroline) (BBB), and poly(2,2'-[10-methyl-3,7-phenothiazylene]-6,6'-bis[4-phenylquinoline]) (PPTZPQ). Cyclic voltammograms of polymer films showed a number of oxidation and reduction waves with color changes that were a function of the potential. The electrochromic effect was spectroelectrochemically characterized and the behavior of PPTZPQ was interpreted as the combination of the properties of the constituent donor and acceptor moieties. A number of different polymer electrochromic devices were constructed using plastic-indium tin oxide and different solvents and electrolytes. We demonstrate the feasibility of constructing flexible all-plastic electrochromic devices with interesting color changes upon potential cycling. Electrochromic devices based on BBL or BBB films had switching lifetimes of 3x10~4 to 10~5 circles. Plastic electrochromic cells combining PPTZPQ and BBL films as complementary electrochromic materials showed reversible switching between black and red.