Triphenylamine-based redox-active aramids with 1-piperidinyl substituent as an auxiliary donor: Enhanced electrochemical stability and electrochromic performance

Research Progress in Special Engineering Plastic-Based Electrochromic Polymers

SPECPs are electrochromic polymers that contain special engineering plastic structural characteristic groups (SPECPs). Due to their high thermal stability, mechanical properties, and weather resistance, they are also known as high-performance electrochromic polymer (HPEP or HPP). Meanwhile, due to the structural characteristics of their long polymer chains, these materials have natural advantages in the application of flexible electrochromic devices. According to the structure of special engineering plastic groups, SPECPs are divided into five categories: polyamide, polyimide, polyamide imide, polyarylsulfone, and polyarylketone. This article mainly introduces the latest research on SPECPs. The structural design, electrochromic properties, and applications of these materials are also introduced in this article, and the challenges and future development trends of SPECPs are prospected.

Electrochromic properties of pyrene conductive polymers modified by chemical polymerization

Pyrene is composed of four benzene rings and has a unique planar melting ring structure. Pyrene is the smallest condensed polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, and its unique structural properties have been extensively studied. Pyrene has excellent properties such as thermal stability, high fluorescence quantum efficiency and high carrier mobility. This paper mainly used thiophene, EDOT and triphenylamine groups to enhance the pyrene based π-conjugated system and control the molecular accumulation of organic semiconductors, and improve their charge transport performances. Five kinds of polymer were synthesized and correspondingly characterized. The five kinds of pyrene conductive polymer had outstanding properties in terms of solubility, fluorescence intensity and thermal stability, good film-forming properties, stable electrochromic properties and high coloring efficiency. The coloration efficiency (CE) of PPYTP was as high as 277 cm² C⁻¹, and the switching response time was short. The coloring time of PPYEDOT was 1.3 s and the bleaching time was 3.2 s. The lower impedance will also provide the possibility of such polymers being incorporated into electrochromic devices in the future. In short, the synthesized new pyrene conductive polymers will have wide application prospects in the field of electrochromic materials.

Pyrene is composed of four benzene rings and has a unique planar melting ring structure.

Recent advances in triphenylamine-based electrochromic derivatives and polymers

Triphenylamine-containing electrochromic materials with great potential applications in low energy-consumption displays, light-adapting mirrors in vehicles, and smart windows have experienced an exponential growth of research interests. In this review, the newly developed triphenylamine-based derivatives and polymers are reviewed and elaborated.

Electrosynthesis of Aromatic Poly(amide-amine) Films from Triphenylamine-Based Electroactive Compounds for Electrochromic Applications

Two electropolymerizable monomers with a methoxytriphenylamine core linked via amide groups to two triphenylamine (TPA) or N-phenylcarbazole (NPC) terminal groups, namely 4,4'-bis(4-diphenylaminobenzamido)-4''-methoxytriphenylamine (MeOTPA-(TPA)₂) and 4,4'-bis(4-(carbazol-9-yl)benzamido)-4''-methoxytriphenylamine (MeOTPA-(NPC)₂), were synthesized and characterized by FTIR and ¹H NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and cyclic voltammetry. The electrochemical polymerization reactions of these MeOTPA-cored monomers over indium tin oxide (ITO) electrode allow the generation of electroactive poly(amide-amine) films. The electro-generated polymer films exhibited reversible redox processes and multi-colored electrochromic behaviors upon electro-oxidation, together with moderate coloration efficiency and cycling stability. The optical density changes (ΔOD) were observed in the range of 0.18⁻0.68 at specific absorption maxima, with the calculated coloration efficiencies of 42⁻123 cm²/C. Single-layer electrochromic devices using the electrodeposited polymer films as active layers were fabricated for the preliminary investigation of their electrochromic applications.

Synthesis and Electrochromism of Highly Organosoluble Polyamides and Polyimides with Bulky Trityl-Substituted Triphenylamine Units

Two series of polyamides and polyimides containing bulky trityl-substituted triphenylamine units were synthesized from condensation reactions of 4,4′-diamino-4′′-trityltriphenylamine with various dicarboxylic acids and tetracarboxylic dianhydrides, respectively. The polymers showed good solubility and film-forming ability. Flexible or robust films could be readily obtained via solution-casting. The use of aliphatic diacid or dianhydride reduces interchain charge transfer complexing and leads to colorless polyamide and polyimide films. These polymers showed glass-transition temperatures in the range of 206–336 °C. Cyclic voltammograms of the polyamide and polyimide films displayed reversible electrochemical oxidation processes in the range of 0–1.0 or 0–1.3 V. Upon oxidation, the color of polymer films changes from colorless to blue-green or blue. As compared to the polyimide counterparts, the polyamides showed lower oxidation potentials and thus a higher electrochromic stability and coloration efficiency. Simple electrochromic devices were also fabricated as a preliminary investigation for electrochromic applications of the prepared polymers.

Functional Aromatic Polyamides

We describe herein the state of the art following the last 8 years of research into aromatic polyamides, wholly aromatic polyamides or aramids. These polymers belong to the family of high performance materials because of their exceptional thermal and mechanical behavior. Commercially, they have been transformed into fibers mainly for production of advanced composites, paper, and cut and fire protective garments. Huge research efforts have been carried out to take advantage of the mentioned characteristics in advanced fields related to transport applications, optically active materials, electroactive materials, smart materials, or materials with even better mechanical and thermal behavior.