Dual-electrochromic polymer bearing oligoaniline and viologen pendants: Synthesis and properties

Electrochromic polymers have attracted considerable attention mainly because of their potential applications in the fields of smart windows, intelligent displays and advanced devices. Herein we synthesized a dual-electrochromic polymer by introducing oligoaniline and viologen to polymeric architecture as pendants (POV). Structural identification of the monomers and polymer is performed using FTIR and ¹H NMR spectroscopy. The resulting POV exhibits favorable electrochemical activity in both anodic and cathodic potential areas. Lower redox potentials are observed in the CV measurement, ascribed to the complex interplay between viologen and oligoaniline moieties. Furthermore, POV film displays approving dual-electrochromic behavior in both anodic and cathodic potential areas with desirable contrast value, moderate switching times, and acceptable coloration efficiency. This work not only presents a deep understanding of the optical-electrical dual-modulation mechanism but also paves the way for their future applications.