Synthesis and characterization of a dual electrochromic and electrofluorochromic crosslinked polymer

Dual electrochromic and electrofluorochromic polymers have attracted immense attention due to their extensive applications in the fields of sensors, displays and advanced devices. We report here the electrochemical synthesis of a crosslinked polymer bearing tetraaniline, carbazole, and polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane through the hydrolysis reaction with good film-forming ability and outstanding thermostability. The resulting polymer with huge rigid polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane groups presents simultaneous electrochromic and electrofluorochromic behaviors with improved switching rate, caused by the enhanced ion diffusion. Furthermore, the contrast of on/off in the electrofluorochromism is also enhanced drastically, ascribed to the mitigation of the aggregation-caused quenching effect of fluorescence stemmed from the steric hindrance effect of polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane.