Electrochromic Pattern Formation by Photo Cross-linking Reaction of PEDOT Side Chains

An electrochemically and photochemically polymerizable monomer, 2-((2,3-dihydrothieno[3,4-b][1,4]dioxin2-yl)methoxy)ethyl methacrylate (EDOT-EMA), was explored for patterning of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) via side chain cross-linking. The polymer from EDOT-EMA was deposited electrochemically to produce polymeric EDOT (PEDOT-EMA), which was directly photo-patterned by UV light as the side EMA groups of PEDOT-EMA were polymerized to give cross-linked EMA (PEDOT-PEMA). Absorption and FTIR studies of the UV-exposed film (PEDOT-PEMA) indicated that the photo-patterning mainly originated from the photo cross-linking of the methacrylates in the side-chain. After irradiation of the film, the conductivity of the irradiated area decreased from 5.6x10(-3) S/cm to 7.2x10(-4) S/cm, possibly due to bending of the conductive PEDOT channel as a result of the side chain cross-linking. The patterned film was applied to a solid state electrochromic (EC) cell to obtain micro-patterned EC cells with lines up to 5 mu m wide.