Novel Conducting Polymer Materials for Use in Electrochromic Device, Displays

University of Connecticut
posted on 06/28/2010

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Prof. Sotzing has developed a variety of novel conducting polymers based on derivatized polythiophene backbones and other novel templates. These materials have potential applications in displays, organic solar cells, camouflage devices, sensors, ultracapacitors, and flexible electrochromic coatings and textiles . Examples of these novel conducting polymers include:

a) Conjugated polymers from substituted 3,4-propylenedioxythiophene, are among a class of conducting polymers with the largest optical contrast between the polymer’s oxidized and reduced states. The color of these polymers can be tuned through incorporation of different substituents along the polymer backbone which modifies the polymer’s electronic structure.

b) Precursor polymers can be synthesized by placing the monomer into a precursor scaffold to form a solution processable prepolymer. The precursor polymers are subsequently converted into an insoluble conducting polymer while retaining the solid state morphology. The solution processable precursor can be electrospun, spin-coated,spray-coated or drop cast. This precursor polymer approach is ideal for fabrication of nano-fibers or patterning inside electrochromic devices.

c) Thieno[3,4-b] furan is useful as a monomer in the preparation of intrinsically conductive polymers. Prof. Sotzing’s synthetic approach using inexpensive starting materials to make the thieno[3,4-b] furan monomer opens a route to make lower cost furan based conductive polymers.

d) A novel template for use with poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (“PEDOT”) based on polyamic acid produces a PEDOT:polyimide complex. The resultant PEDOT:polyimide complex has superior thermal stability over the commercially available PEDOT:PSS dispersion which is based on a poly(styrenesulfonate) (“PSS”) template. This new template may open up new high temperature application for PEDOT, a very widely used conductive polymer.

-high contrast
-low cost
-processable
-high thermal stability