Thiazolothiazole-Containing Conjugated Polymer with Electrochromism and Electrofluorochromism-Based Dual Performance for a Flip-Flop Molecular Logic Gate
Sayan Halder, Subhradeep Pal, Pandiyan Sivasakthi, Pralok K. Samanta, Chanchal Chakraborty
Abstract
Dual-performance devices based on electrochromism and electrofluorochromism have recently gained much attention in display technology. However, getting electrochromism and electrofluorochromism from the same material is very challenging. Herein, we have synthesized a low-band-gap donor–acceptor conjugated thiazolothiazole-containing organic polymer, P-TzTz, that exhibited a quasi-reversible single-electron reduction to demonstrate a pale yellow-to-black (NIR region) electrochromism and a red-to-quenched electrofluorochromism at a low potential window of −1.7 to +0.6 V with suitable electrochromic/electrofluorochromic parameters and stability. Possible redox-induced modulation of π–π* and intramolecular charge transfer in the P-TzTz polymer, which was validated through density functional theory calculations, interplayed the key role of tunable absorption from vis to NIR and on–off fluorescence switching. Finally, mimicking a flip-flop logic gate model with optical memory functions was also demonstrated by taking the potentials as inputs and electrochromic and electrofluorochromic dual performance signals as outputs.