New Electroactive and Electrochromic Aromatic Polyamides with Ether-Linked Bis(triphenylamine) Units

A new class of electroactive polyamides with ether-linked bis(triphenylamine) [O(TPA)(2)] units were prepared through the direct phosphorylation polycondensation from N,N-di(4-aminophenyl)-N,N-diphenyl-4,4-oxydianiline and aromatic dicarboxylic acids. These polyamides were amorphous with good solubility in many organic solvents, such as NMP and DMAc, and could be solution-cast into strong and flexible polymer films. Their decomposition temperatures (T-d) at a 10% weight-loss in nitrogen and air were recorded at 556-568 degrees C and 537-555 degrees C, respectively. The glass-transition temperatures (T-g) of all the polyamides were observed in the range of 218-253 degrees C by DSC. Cyclic voltammograms of the polyamide films cast onto an indium-tin oxide (ITO)-coated glass substrate exhibited two reversible oxidation redox couples at 0.80-0.82 V and 0.96-0.98 V versus Ag/AgCl in an electrolyte containing acetonitrile solution. The polyamide films showed excellent electrochemical and electrochromic stability, with a color change from a colorless or pale yellowish neutral form to green and purple oxidized forms at applied potentials ranging from 0 to 1.2 V. These polymers can also be used to fabricate electrochromic devices, and they showed high coloration efficiency, high redox stability, and fast response time. (c) 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2015, 53, 496-510