Screen‐printable Electrochromic Polymer Inks and Ion Gel Electrolytes for the Design of Low‐power,Flexible Electrochromic Devices

We have developed electrochromic inks and electrolyte materials to enable mass production of flexible electrochromic displays (ECDs) and other optoelectronic devices by screen printing. Here we present a new screen‐printable ink incorporating electrochromic polymer, poly(3,4‐propylenedioxythiophene)bis(ethylhexyloxy), referred to here as ECP‐Magenta, and antimony‐doped tin oxide (ATO/TiO₂) particles to facilitate electron transport. Their dispersion in a P(VDF‐co‐HFP) binder leads to the formation of a new electrochromic ink that is suitable for screen printing. This strategy opens the door to the preparation of similar electrochromic inks based on other organic or polymeric compounds. This approach is scalable and can applied to different fields. Ion gels (IGs) composed of P(VDF‐co‐HFP) and room temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) are promising solid‐state electrolytes with high ionic conductivity, flexibility, elasticity and eco‐friendliness. The electrochemical features of different ion gels were analyzed as a function of composition and nature of the ionic liquid. Hence, new formulations of IGs were developed, evaluated by Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy, Cyclic Voltammetry, before being incorporated into ECDs. The electrochromic performance of ECP‐Magenta ink combined with the RTIL‐based IG was evaluated by terms of spectroelectrochemistry showing that fully flexible ECD operating at voltages below 1 V can be screen‐printed.     

聚（1-乙烯基-3-乙酸烷基酯咪唑）阳离子／P（MMA．VAc）聚合物电解质

合成了一系列由聚（1-乙烯基-3-乙酸烷基酯咪唑）阳离子和二（三氟甲基磺酰亚胺）阴离子（TFSI）组成的聚离子液体并进行了表征．热重分析（TGA）和电导率分析表明,在聚（甲基丙烯酸甲酯,醋酸乙烯酯）（P（MMA—VAc））基体中掺杂聚离子液体后,体系的热稳定性和离子电导率均大为改善,红外光谱（FT—IR）、示差扫描量热分析（DSC）、X射线衍射（XRD）和扫描电子显微镜（SEM）等测试结果亦可佐证．讨论了离子液体的结构以及不同种锂盐（LiC104,LiBF4,LiTFSI）对电解质性能的影响．由PIL／P（MMA—VAc）／LiTFSI组成的共混电解质膜,在可见光下透过率≥90％,可作为离子导电材料用于电致变色器件（ECD）,显示了其优良的电化学性能．     

Ag/WO3纳米复合膜的制备及其电致变色性质和器件的研究

通过真空镀膜方法制备的纳米Ag薄膜均匀致密, 表面光滑. 然后通过电化学方法在Ag纳米薄膜上沉积一层三氧化钨(WO3), 制备纳米Ag/WO3复合膜. 并在此基础上构筑五层式玻璃/ITO/纳米Ag-WO3复合膜/固态电解质/聚(3-甲基噻吩)/ITO/玻璃电致变色器件. 实验结果表明, 与传统的WO3膜相比, 纳米Ag/WO3复合膜具有更好的电化学活性、更高的对比度、更短的响应时间, 以及更好的稳定性. 由该复合膜组装的电致变色器件工艺简单, 电致变色性能良好.     

Plasma Modified V2O5/PEDOT Hybrid Based Flexible Electrochromic Devices

Vanadium oxide/poly (3,4‐ ethylenedioxythiophene)(V₂O₅‐PEDOT) hybrid materials were prepared in a rotating quartz plasma reactor via capacitively coupled radio frequency (RF 13.56 MHz) plasma. Thin films of V₂O₅‐PEDOT hybrid and V₂O₅ were obtained by electron beam evaporation technique onto flexible PET substrate for electrochromic devices (ECDs) applications. As a counter electrode, both RF magnetron sputtered MoO₃ onto ITO coated PET and only ITO coated PET electrodes were used. Characterizations of the films were carried out via using scanning electron microscopy‐energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (SEM‐EDX) and X‐ray diffraction (XRD). Hybrid ECDs results showed that synergistic effect depending on improved stability between V₂O₅ and PEDOT. As a result, we developed all solid complementary electrochromic devices including V₂O₅, V₂O₅‐PEDOT and MoO₃ films. The electrochromic device characteristics such as electrochromic contrast, coloration efficiency, switching time were calculated from optical and electrochemical measurements. The highest coloration efficiency and optical contrast were obtained as 53 cm²/C and 17 % for V₂O₅‐PEDOT/MoO₃‐based ECD.     

固态聚苯胺电致变色器件的制备和性能

采用CeO2-TiO2复合物薄膜作为聚苯胺电致变色器件的对电极, 选用聚合物固态电解质(PE: PMMA-PC-EC-LiClO4), 构筑了新型双层结构(Dual-type)聚苯胺(PANI)固态电致变色(EC)器件. 用电化学现场紫外-可见光谱法表征了该EC器件(ITO|PANI||PE||CeO2-TiO2|ITO)的电致变色性能, 并与单层结构(Single-type)EC器件(ITO|PANI||PE|| ITO)进行了比较. 研究结果表明, 双层结构EC器件比单层结构EC器件的电致变色性能好, 如响应速度快, 循环寿命长. 同时, 考察了电解质组分对聚苯胺电致变色稳定性的影响. EC器件(ITO|PANI||PE||CeO2-TiO2|ITO)的颜色呈现由透明的黄色(-1.5 V, PANI vs. CeO2-TiO2)到蓝色(1.0 V)的可逆变化, 在700 nm处的透射率由42.19%变到13.35%, 经过150个循环, 其透射率差仍保持不变, 着色效率为152.1 cm2/C.     

Synthesis of a dipyrromethane functionalized monomer and optoelectrochromic properties of its polymer

A dipyrromethane functionalized monomer; 5-(4-tert-butylphenyl)dipyrromethane (BPDP) was synthesized. The structure of the monomer was characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H NMR and ¹³C NMR) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopies. Electrochemical polymerization of BPDP was performed in acetonitrile (AN)/LiClO₄. The resulting conducting polymer was characterized by FTIR spectroscopy and electrical conductivity measurements. Spectroelectrochemical behavior and switching ability of P(BPDP) film were investigated by UV-Vis spectroscopy. P(BPDP) revealed color changes between yellow and blue in the reduced and oxidized states, respectively. In order to investigate electrochromic properties and stability of the P(BPDP) in electrochromic device (ECDs) application, dual type polymer ECD based on P(BPDP) and poly(ethylene dioxythiophene) (PEDOT) were constructed. Spectroelectrochemistry, switching ability and stability of the devices were investigated by UV-Vis spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry.     

High‐performance Flexible Complementary Electrochromic Device Based on Plasma Modified WO3 Nano Hybrids and V2O5 Nanofilm with Low Operation Voltages

Tungsten trioxide‐poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene) (WO₃‐PEDOT) and tungsten trioxide‐polyfuran (WO₃‐PFu) were prepared by rf rotating plasma polymerization. Electrochromic hybrid thin films were fabricated onto flexible polyethylene terephthalate (PET)/ indium tin oxide (ITO) film using electron beam evaporation method. In order to deeply characterize all films, scanning electron microscopy‐energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (SEM‐EDS) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) techniques were used. The counter electrode effect on plasma modified WO₃ nano hybrids‐based electrochromic devices (ECDs) was evaluated. By incorporating flexible vanadium pentoxide (V₂O₅) film as counter electrode, complementary ECDs were constructed through combining the hybrid flexible films (WO₃‐PEDOT, WO₃‐PFu) as working electrodes, which exhibit highly efficient electrochromic performance with low voltage operation. Especially, WO₃‐PEDOT/V₂O₅‐based ECD owns a high optical modulation of 61.5 % at 750 nm driven by −1.0 V (coloration) and +1 V (bleaching) with fast response times (coloration time: 13.58 s, bleaching time: 8.07 s) and a high coloration efficiency of 527 cm² C⁻¹. This study can supply useful and efficient avenue for designing flexible complementary electrochromic device for energy‐saving flexible electronics.     

Effects of Supporting Electrolytes on Spectroelectrochemical and Electrochromic Properties of Polyaniline‐poly(styrene sulfonic acid) and Poly(ethylenedioxythiophene)‐poly(styrene sulfonic acid)‐based Electrochromic Device

Electrochromic devices are fabricated by using polyaniline (PANI) doped with poly(styrene sulfonic acid) (PSS) as coloring electrodes, poly(ethylenedioxythiophene)‐poly(styrene sulfonic acid) (PEDOT‐PSS) as complementary electrodes, and hybrid polymer electrolytes as gel electrolytes. The device based on LiClO₄‐based electrolyte (weight ratio of PMMA:PC:LiClO₄ = 0.7:1.1:0.3) shows the highest optical contrast and coloration efficiency (333 cm²/C) after 1200 cycles in these devices, and the color changes from pale yellow (?0.5 V) to dark blue (+2.5 V). The spectroelectrochemical and electrochromic switching properties of electrochromic devices are investigated, the maximum optical contrast (ΔT%) of electrochromic device for ITO|PANI‐PSS‖PMMA‐PC‐LiClO₄‐SiO₂‖PEDOT‐PSS|ITO are 31.5% at 640 nm, and electrochromic device based on LiClO₄‐based electrolyte with SiO₂ shows faster response time than that based on LiClO₄‐based electrolyte without SiO₂.     

Manufacture and demonstration of organic photovoltaic‐powered electrochromic displays using roll coating methods and printable electrolytes

Electrochromic devices (ECDs) were prepared on flexible substrates using spray coating and slot‐die coating methods. The electrochromic materials were the conjugated electroactive polymers, poly((2,2‐bis(2‐ethylhexyloxymethyl)‐propylene‐1,3‐dioxy)‐3,4‐thiophene‐2,5‐diyl) as a vibrantly colored active material (ECP‐Magenta) and poly(N‐octadecyl‐(propylene‐1,3‐dioxy)‐3,4‐pyrrole‐2,5‐diyl) as a minimally colored, charge balancing material (MCCP). Two electrolyte systems were compared to allow development of fully printable and laminated devices on flexible substrates. Devices of various sizes, up to 7 × 8 cm², are demonstrated with pixelated devices containing pixel sizes of 4 × 4 mm² or 13 × 13 mm². The transmission contrast exhibited by the devices, when switched between the fully bleached and fully colored state, was 58% at a visible wavelength of 550 nm, and the devices exhibited switching times of <10 s. Additionally, we demonstrate the utilization of printed organic photovoltaic devices (with or without the use of a lithium‐polymer battery) to power the devices between the colored and bleached state, illustrating a self‐powered ECD. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys, 2012     

A new electrochromic material from an indole derivative and its application in high-quality electrochromic devices

A novel electrochromic material, poly(indole-6-carboxylic acid) (PIn), and its application in electrochromic devices (ECDs) are discussed. PIn was switched between yellow in the reduced state and green in the oxidized state. Electrochromic switching of PIn film shows that it has fast switching time and high optical contrast. ECD based on PIn and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) was also fabricated and characterized. The response time of this device was found to be 1.0 s and the optical contrast was 45%. The coloration efficiency (CE) was calculated to be 510 cm² C^?1. Clear change from green (neutral) to blue-violet color (oxidized) of ECD is demonstrated with robust cycle life. These results provide an avenue for applications of polyindole family in electrochromic devices.     

固态导电聚合物多色电致变色器件的制备

制备了基于聚3-甲基噻吩(P3MeT)和聚苯胺(PANI)的两种结构(侧面结构和垂直结构)固态导电聚合物多色电致变色器件(ECD). 采用电化学现场紫外-可见光谱法研究了侧面结构固态ECD的电致变色特性, P3MeT-ECD显示出蓝色和红色的可逆变化, PANI-ECD显示出墨绿色和黄绿色的可逆变化, 同时采用P3MeT和PANI作变色材料的P3MeT-PANI-ECD可以实现红、蓝、墨绿和草绿多色变化. 用激光雕刻微型化P3MeT-PANI变色层组装制得的侧面结构固态P3MeT-PANI-ECD控制合适电压也可多色变化. 另外, 用CeO₂-TiO₂作为P3MeT-PANI对电极的垂直结构固态P3MeT-PANI-ECD在实现红、蓝、墨绿和草绿多色变化的同时, 也可进行四色自由搭配选择.     

Preparation of a Star Network PEG-based Gel Polymer Electrolyte and Its Application to Electrochromic Devices

A star network polymer with a pentaerythritol core linking four PEG-block polymeric arms was synthesized, and its corresponding gel polymer electrolyte based on lithium perchlorate and plasticizers EC/PC with the character being colorless and highly transparent has been also prepared. The polymer host was characterized and confirmed to be of a star network and an amorphous structure by FTIR, ^1H NMR and XRD studies. The polymer host hold good mechanical properties for pentaerythritol cross-linking. Maximum ionic conductivity of the prepared polymer electrolyte has reached 8.83 × 10 ^-4 S·cm^-1 at room temperature. Thermogravimetry （TG） of the polymer electrolyte showed that the thermal stability was up to at least 150 ℃. The gel polymer electrolyte was further evaluated in electrochromic devices fabricated by transparent PET-ITO and electrochromically active viologen derivative films, and its excellent performance promised the usage of the gel polymer electrolyte as ionic conductor material in electrochrornic devices.     

GelatinnZn(CF3SO3)2 Polymer Electrolytes for Electrochromic Devices

The present work is focused on gelatin‐based electrolytes doped with a range of concentration of zinc triflate (Zn(CF₃SO₃)₂). The transparent‐thin‐film samples have been represented by the notation Gelatin_nZn(CF₃SO₃)₂, where n represents the zinc triflate salt concentration in the electrolyte membranes from 0.00 wt% to 10.93 wt% . The samples have been characterized by conductivity measurements, thermal analysis, cyclic voltammetry, X‐ray diffraction (XRD), polarized optical microscopy (POM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The gelatin‐based electrolytes were also tested as ionic conductors in electrochromic devices with the glass/ITO/WO₃/gelatin‐based electrolyte/CeO₂‐TiO₂/ITO/glass configuration.     

P(VAc-MA)/PMMA为基体的聚合物电解质制备及其在电致变色器件中的应用

以醋酸乙烯酯(VAc)和丙烯酸甲酯(MA)为单体, 采用半连续种子乳液聚合法制备了无规共聚物P(VAc-MA), 以PMMA与P(VAc-MA)的共混物为基体制备了聚合物电解质. 用红外光谱(FTIR)、X射线衍射(XRD)、热重分析(TG)、紫外光谱(UV)、力学性能测试及电化学交流阻抗等方法研究了聚合物、聚合物膜和聚合物电解质的性质. 结果表明, VAc与MA通过打开各自的CC键聚合生成P(VAc-MA); P(VAc-MA)与PMMA共混后结晶状态发生了变化, 增加了无定形相区, 降低了链段运动的能量壁垒, 提高了热稳定性和拉伸强度. 以P(VAc-MA)/PMMA为基体的聚合物电解质膜具有很高的透明性, 最大室温电导率达到1.17×10-3 S/cm; 离子电导率随着温度的升高而迅速增加, 电导率-温度曲线符合Arrhenius方程; 将此电解质用于全固态电致变色显示器件显示出优良的性能.     

Electrochromic Properties of ‘Trimeric' Thiophene‐pyrrole‐thiophene Derivative Grown from Electrodeposited 6‐(2,5‐di(thiophen‐2‐yl)‐1H‐pyrrol‐1‐yl)hexan‐1‐amine and its Copolymer

A centrosymmetric polymer precursor, namely 6‐(2,5‐di(thiophen‐2‐yl)‐1H‐pyrrol‐1‐yl)hexan‐1‐amine (TPHA), was synthesized via a Knorr–Paal reaction using 1,4‐di(2‐thienyl)‐1,4‐butanedione and hexane‐1,6‐diamine. The resultant monomer was characterized by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (¹H‐NMR). Electroactivity of TPHA was investigated via cyclic voltammetry. The electronic structure and the nature of electrochromism in P(TPHA) and its copolymer with EDOT, (P(TPHA‐co‐EDOT)), were examined via spectroelectrochemistry studies. P(TPHA) switches between claret red neutral state and blue oxidized state. Optical response times for coloring and bleaching processes of the P(TPHA) and P(TPHA‐co‐EDOT) were found as 2.1 s and 1.6 s, respectively.

The copolymer of TPHA was used to construct dual type polymer electrochromic devices (ECDs) against poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT). Spectroelectrochemistry and electrochromic switching out of the devices were investigated.     

A novel high‐contrast ratio electrochromic material from spiro[cyclododecane‐1,9′‐fluorene]bicarbazole

A novel electroactive spirocyclododecylfluorene monomer named 2,7‐bis(carbazol‐9‐yl)‐9,9′‐spiro[cyclododecane‐1,9′‐fluorene] (SFC) was synthesized and electrochemically polymerized to give a very stable multi‐electrochromic polymer (poly‐SFC). Two separate oxidation processes were observed for both SFC monomer and poly‐SFC that carries two carbazole units. The polymeric film of poly‐SFC was coated onto ITO/glass surface, and it shows different colors (transparent, yellowish green, green, and dark green) upon stepwise oxidations. An electrochromic device based on poly‐SFC was assembled in the sandwich cell configuration of ITO/poly‐SFC//gel electrolyte//PEDOT/ITO. Poly‐SFC exhibits 90% of transparency at neutral state and a high contrast ratio (ΔT = 58% at 800 nm). This device constructed from it represents a response time of about 1 s, high coloration efficiency (1377 cm² C^–1) and retained its performance by 96.4% even after 1000 cycles. Exhibiting high transparency at neutral state, reversible redox behavior, resistance to overoxidation, and especially high contrast ratio at near IR region can make poly‐SFC be useful and promising candidate for electrochromic applications despite having a relatively slow response time. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys, 2010     

石墨烯-ITO复合电极对聚苯胺薄膜电致变色性质的影响

采用改进的Hummers法制备氧化石墨烯(GO),首先,石墨与浓硫酸、过硫酸钾和五氧化二磷反应制得强氧化产物,随后将其与浓硫酸、硝酸钠、高锰酸钾反应,经双氧水发泡、酸洗、超声等合成氧化石墨烯水溶液,再通过金属箔还原和基底转移过程制备GO-氧化铟锡(ITO)复合电极材料.通过金属箔还原和基底转移过程制备GO-氧化铟锡(ITO)复合电极材料.利用电化学聚合法在GO-ITO复合电极上制备聚苯胺(PANI)薄膜,并对其形貌结构、电化学及电致变色性质进行表征.结果表明,与ITO电极相比,采用GO-ITO复合电极制备的PANI的成膜性得到明显改善,复合电极具有更加均匀细致的颗粒表面,增大了聚合物与电解液之间的接触面积,为电致变色过程中平衡离子的注入/脱出提供了更多的通道,因而PANI薄膜在700nm处的光学对比度提高了约13%,响应速度缩短了约2.6 s,着色效率高达169.6 cm2/C.GO的引入保持了PANI良好的电化学稳定性.GO-ITO复合电极有效改善了聚合物的综合性能,对于聚合物电致变色材料及器件的开发具有潜在的应用前景.     

A soluble and multichromic conducting polythiophene derivative

A new soluble polythiophene derivative was synthesized by both chemical and electrochemical oxidative polymerization of 1-4-nitrophenyl-2,5-di(2-thienyl)-1H-pyrrole (SNSNO₂). Chemical method produces a polymer which is completely soluble in organic solvents. The structures of both the monomer and the soluble polymer were elucidated by ¹H and ¹³C-NMR and FTIR. The average molecular weight has been determined by GPC to be Mn = 6.3 × 10³ for the chemically synthesized polymer. P(SNSNO₂) was also synthesized via potentiostatic electrochemical polymerization. Characterizations of the resulting polymer were performed by cyclic voltammetry CV, FTIR and UV-Vis spectroscopy. Four-probe technique was used to measure the conductivities of the samples. Moreover, the spectroelectrochemical and electrochromic properties of the polymer film were investigated. In addition, dual type polymer electrochromic devices ECDs based on P(SNSNO₂) with poly3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (PEDOT) were constructed. Spectroelectrochemistry, electrochromic switching and open circuit stability of the devices were studied. They were found to have good switching times, reasonable contrasts and optical memories.     

Electrochromic devices based on copolymers of 3-Trimethoxysilanylpropyl-N-aniline-2,5-Dimethoxyaniline

Electrochemical copolymerization of 3-trimethoxysilanyl-propyl-N-aniline (TMSPA) with 2,5-dimethoxyaniline (DMA) was performed in 1 M HCl aqueous solution for different feed ratios of TMSPA using cyclic voltammetry. The deposition rate of TMSPA–DMA copolymer is higher than that of PTMSPA but lower than that of PDMA. (TMSPA-co-DMA) film was deposited using electrochemical polymerization as conducting film on indium tin oxide (ITO) electrode and used as an electrode in an electrochromic device. Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(4-styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) was spin-coated on ITO as the other electrode. Carboxyl-terminated- butadiene-acrylonitrile (CTBN) blended with LiClO₄ was used as solid polymer electrolyte. A total solid electrochromic device was assembled as follows: ITO|P(TMSPA-co-DMA)LiClO₄-CTBNPEDOT:PSS|ITO. The columbic efficiency of the devices reached to 104% for P(TMSPA-co-DMA) film with TMSPA feed ratio of 0.25. The optical contrast (ΔT, %) of the single electrode and the device were determined by UV–vis spectroelectrochemical studies. The stability of ΔT was improved during color switching from +1.5 to −1.5 V (vs. PEDOT) for this device. The device was pale yellow at −1.5 V and blue at +1.5 V.     

Urea Biosensor Based on Electrochromic Properties of Prussian Blue

Prussian blue (PB) is an electrochromic material, which can be used as a signal transducer in the formation of optical urea biosensors. The previous researches in electrochromic properties of PB demonstrated the optical PB response to ammonium ions, which occurs when ammonium ions are interacting with PB layer at a constant 0.2 V vs Ag|AgCl|KCl_sat potential. In this work PB optical dependence on ammonium ions concentration was applied in the formation of electrochromic urea biosensor. Biosensor was formed by modifying the optically transparent indium tin oxide (ITO) coated glass electrode (glass/ITO) with Prussian blue layer and immobilizing urease (glass/ITO/PB‐urease). Calibration curve showed the linear dependency (R²=0.995) between the change of maximal absorbance (ΔA) and urea concentration in concentration range varying from 3 mM to 30 mM. The highest sensitivity (4 ΔA M^?1) of glass/ITO/PB‐urease biosensor is in the concentration range from 7 mM to 30 mM. It was determined that working principle of the glass/ITO/PB‐urease biosensor is not related to pH changes occurring during enzymatic hydrolysis of urea.