Rapid one-pot electrodeposition of polyaniline/manganese dioxide hybrids: a facile approach to stable high-performance anodic electrochromic materials

In this article, we report, for the first time, the preparation of polyaniline/manganese dioxide (PANI/MnO2) hybrid electrochromic films via one-pot potentiostatically anodic electrodeposition from an aqueous solution containing aniline and manganese sulfate. In the one-pot deposition process, electropolymerization of aniline and electrodeposition of MnO2 occur simultaneously, while some of the resultant MnO2 can act as an oxidizer to further initiate chemical polymerization of aniline, facilitating rapid growth of the hybrid films. This unique deposition mechanism gives rise to significant differences between the hybrid and neat PANI films in morphology, structures, electrochemical and electrochromic properties. Compared with neat PANI films, the hybrid film with optimal MnO2 content shows much higher optical contrast, coloration efficiency, and cycling stability. The excellent performance of the hybrid film can be attributed to its unique porous morphology with interconnected small nanoparticles, and donor-acceptor interactions between PANI and MnO2.