Synthesis and characterization of a new soluble conducting polymer and its electrochromic device

A mixture of isomers 2,5-di(4-methyl-thiophen-2-yl)-1-(4-nitrophenyl)-1H-pyrrole, 2-(4-methyl-thiophen-2-yl)-5-(3-methyl-thiophen-2-yl)1-(4-nitrophenyl)-1H-pyrrole and 2,5-di(3-methyl-thiophen-2-yl)-1-(4-nitrophenyl)-1H-pyrrole (Me-SNS(NO2)) were synthesized. Resulting monomers were polymerized chemically, producing soluble polymers in common organic solvents. The average molecular weight has been determined by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) as Mn = 5.6 x 10(3) for the chemically synthesized polymer. The monomers were also electrochemically polymerized in the presence of LiClO4, NaClO4 (1:1) as the supporting electrolyte in acetonitrile solvent. Resulting polymers were characterized via CV, FTIR, NMR, SEM and UV-Vis spectroscopy. Spectroelectrochemistry analysis of polymer revealed Pi-Pi* transition below 300 nm, with an electronic band gap of 2.18 ev. Switching ability of the polymer was evaluated by kinetic study measuring percent transmittance (%T) at the maximum contrast point, indicating that poly(Me-SNS(NO2)) is a suitable material for electrochromic devices. (c) 2006 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.