Poly (dithienylpyrrole) / Keggin type (nBu4N)3[PW9O34(tBuSiOH)3] hybrid material: Enhanced optical and electrical properties of conjugated polymers via polyoxometalates

Abstract Conductive polymers with unique optical and electrical properties are ideal matrices for redox active inorganic materials in the development of flexible, easily processable conductive materials for promising applications. Polyoxometalates (POMs) are a class of inorganic materials consisting of soluble, anionic metal oxide clusters of transition metals exhibiting enormous versatility in their structural features and properties. The properties as well as the processability of POM clusters can be enhanced by combining them with conducting polymers, either electrostatically or covalently, resulting in organically modified POMs, which have found extensive applications in diverse fields. For this purpose, we electrochemically incorporated a Keggin type POM anion, (nBu4N)3[PW9O34(tBuSiOH)3], into a dithienyl pyrrole based conducting polymer (pDOB). Obtained organic-inorganic hybrid composite film has superior optical and electrical properties when compared to PDOB. Also composite film with advantages such as high optical contrast, low response time, long-term stability etc. is promising to meet the requirement for constructing smart windows, supercapacitors and electrochromic devices.