Structure-Performance Correlations in Spray-Processable Green Dioxythiophene-Benzothiadiazole Donor–Acceptor Polymer Electrochromes

The continuing search for relevant structure–property relationships in the area of organic electronics is expected to impact both intrinsic material performance capability and the viability of their implementation in a broad range of device applications. Cathodically coloring π-conjugated polymer electrochromes represent a class of materials potentially attractive for low-cost and nonemissive flexible display devices including e-paper. Nonetheless, both the synthetic access to a full range of visible colors and the ability to produce solution-processable systems that switch rapidly and durably from a colored neutral state to a highly transmissive doped state upon electrochemical oxidation require that material structure–property relationships be carefully examined. In this report, we correlate molecular structure effects, redox properties, and electrochromic performance for a series of rationally designed neutral-state green polymers composed of electron-rich 3,4-dioxythiophene (DOT) units and the electro...