Electrochromic Material Containing Unsymmetrical Substituted N,N,N′,N′-Tetraaryl-1,4-phenylenediamine: Synthesis and Their Optical, Electrochemical, and Electrochromic Properties

A novel dibromo compound containing unsymmetrical substituted bi-triarylamine was synthesized. A conjugated polymer was prepared via the Suzuki coupling from the newly prepared dibromo compound and 9,9-dioctylfluorene-2,7-bis(trimethyleneboronate). The glass transition temperature (T-g) of the conjugated polymer was 140 degrees C, 10% weight-loss temperatures (T-d10) in nitrogen was 458 degrees C, and char yield at 800 degrees C in nitrogen higher than 64%. Cyclic voltammogram of the polymer film cast onto an indium-tin oxide (ITO)-coated glass substrate exhibited two reversible oxidation redox couples at 0.70 and 1.10 V versus Ag/Ag+ in acetonitrile solution. The polymer films revealed excellent stability of electrochromic characteristics, with a color change from yellow green of the neutral form to the dark green and blue of oxidized forms at applied potentials ranging from 0 to 1.3 V. The color switching time and bleaching time were 4.25 and 7.22 s for 860 nm and 5.51 s and 6.48 s for 560 nm. (C) 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 48: 1469-1476, 2010