Water‐Soluble Hyperbranched Polyamidoamine Bearing Viologen Groups toward Electrochromic/Electrofluorochromic Dual‐Mode Aqueous Phase Devices

Abstract

AbstractThe health and environmental concerns drive the exploration of electro‐optical materials featuring aqueous processability and environmental friendliness. This work presents a water‐soluble electroactive hyperbranched polyamidoamine toward electrochromic (EC)/electrofluorochromic (EFC) dual‐mode aqueous phase devices. The resultant polymer bearing viologen groups exhibit reversible electroactivity and desirable EC properties (ΔT% = 71.7%, coloration efficiency (CE) = 216 cm2 C−1). The aggregation‐induced quenching as well as the energy transfer between the electroactive viologen groups and autofluorescent tertiary amine units results in a simultaneous EFC behavior with acceptable fluorescence contrast (on/off = 8.5) and moderate switching speed (22.9/12.5 s). Furthermore, a reflective/emissive dual‐mode aqueous phase device is manufactured readily based on the resultant polymer, which displays a simultaneous EC and EFC performance with high optical contrast (ΔT% = 92%), moderate fluorescence contrast (4.5), competitive CE (108 cm2 C−1), and low switching voltage of −1.4 V.