Novel aniline and haloaniline binary copolymer films for electro-emissive devices

Abstract In this study, sulfuric acid (H2SO4)-doped novel binary copolymer films using aniline and haloanilines as monomers, including aniline/o-fluoro-aniline (PFANI), aniline/o-chloro-aniline (PCANI), and aniline/o-bromo-aniline (PBANI), have been constructed for electro-emissive devices (EEDs). Significantly different electropolymerization behaviors, surface micromorphologies and infrared (IR) emissivity regulation ability are observed by these copolymer films. The results show that PFANI film exhibits the highest IR emissivity modulation capability. The nucleation process and surface morphology of copolymer films are explained by the theory of atomic electronegativity. High emissivity changes (△e) of 0.113, 0.417 and 0.343 in the wavelength ranges of 3–5 μm, 8–14 μm, and 2.5–25 μm, respectively, are obtained by PFANI film. The EEDs based on PFANI films show promising applications in IR thermal control, and dynamic visible light and IR camouflage.