Optically Active Electrochromism of Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) Synthesized by Electrochemical Polymerization in Lyotropic Liquid Crystal of Hydroxypropyl Cellulose/Water: Active Control of Optical Activity

The electrochemical polymerization of 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) in a water solution of hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) as a polymer lyotropic liquid crystal (LC) gives poly EDOT*/HPC hybrid (PEDOT*/HPC) as an optically active polymer. Circular differential interference contrast (C-DIC) microscopy of the polymer reveals a well-resolved ordered structure, and circular dichroism (CD) measurements indicate a Cotton effect for the polymer film. PEDOT prepared using this chiral nematic LC field exhibits good electrochemical stability and switching between a dark blue reduced state and sky blue oxidized state with corresponding changes in Cotton effect. The polymer thus shows “electrochiroptical effect”, such as optically active electrochromism, and repeating change in CD through electrochemical redox process. The proposed method represents a new technique for the preparation of chiral conducting polymer films.