Electrochemical Synthesis and Electrochromic Properties of Nano-poly(3-methoxythiophene) in a Room Temperature Ionic Liquid

Nano-poly(3-methoxythiophene) (NPMOT) was electrochemically synthesized on an ITO surface in the ionic liquid 1-butyl-3- methyl-imidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([BMIM]BF4) by a potentiodynamic polymerization method. NPMOT was characterized by fourier- transform infrared spectroscopies (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Spectroelectrochemistry and electrochromic properties of the NPMOT films were characterized using various experiment techniques in [BMIM]BF4. The thin films were red at its neutral state. After oxidization of the NPMOT films, the films underwent reversible change to the blue. Via kinetic studies, switching time and the maximum optical contrast % ΔT were found to be 2.4 s and 33.1% for NPMOT films.