An electrochromic polymer having formula (1), a method for fabricating the same, and a component comprising the same are disclosed. A device fabricated from the electrochromic polymer is capable of varying between purple and transparent and has advantages of easy fabrication, wide viewing angle, rich colors, high contrast, low driving voltage, and reduced response time. The device can realize storage without power consumption, and can be applied to the field of electrochromic display device.

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An improved contrast electrochromic polymers(ECP), is a copolymer having donor sequences with a normal distribution of at least one solubilizing donor repeating unit selected from substituted propylenedioxythiophene units (ProDOT) and/or substituted acyclic dioxythiophene units (AcDOT) and a plurality of monodispersed trimer sequences consisting of an acceptor unit bonded between two ethylenedioxythiophene units (EDOT), two methylenedioxythiophene units (MDOT), or a fused DAD trimer, where the monodispersed trimer sequence separates two of the donor sequences. One useful monodispersed trimer sequence is EDOT-BTD-EDOT (EBE). The donor sequences can have ProDOT units bound to the monodispersed trimer sequence. The donor sequence can have ProDOT units alternating with AcDOT units. Useful ECPs can have the structure: Pro-Pro/EBE; Ac-Ac/EBE; or Pro-Ac .sub.x/EBE.sub.1x where x is a fraction between 0.5 and 0.9.

This disclosure relates generally to electrochromic polymers that include a plurality of -conjugated chromophores in spaced relation with one another, and a plurality of conjugation-break spacers (CBSs), where at least one CBS separates adjacent chromophores. The chromophores may be colored in the neutral state, and multicolored to transmissive in different oxidization states.

An electrochromic polymer with polar side chains is disclosed. The viscosity of the electrochromic polymer is controllable by adjusting a ratio between polar side chains and alkyl side chains for forming the electrochromic polymer. The disclosed electrochromic polymer with polar side chains can be also made into a film with a controllable thickness by coating.

An all-donor black color electrochromic polymer is disclosed as well as a method for preparing the all-donor black color electrochromic polymer. The electrochromic polymer comprises conjugated polymers, and the conjugated polymers are chemically linked, or physically blended, or both.

The present invention provides, among other aspects, stabilized chromophoric nanoparticles. In certain embodiments, the chromophoric nanoparticles provided herein are rationally functionalized with a pre-determined number of functional groups. In certain embodiments, the stable chromophoric nanoparticles provided herein are modified with a low density of functional groups. In yet other embodiments, the chromophoric nanoparticles provided herein are conjugated to one or more molecules. Also provided herein are methods for making rationally functionalized chromophoric nanoparticles.

The present invention provides, among other aspects, stabilized chromophoric nanoparticles. In certain embodiments, the chromophoric nanoparticles provided herein are rationally functionalized with a pre-determined number of functional groups. In certain embodiments, the stable chromophoric nanoparticles provided herein are modified with a low density of functional groups. In yet other embodiments, the chromophoric nanoparticles provided herein are conjugated to one or more molecules. Also provided herein are methods for making rationally functionalized chromophoric nanoparticles.

Disclosed herein is a facile process for the formation of conjugated polymers inside or outside assembled solid-state devices. One process generally involves applying a voltage to a device comprising at least two electrodes, a combination of an electrolyte composition and a electroactive monomer disposed between the electrodes, and a potential source in electrical connection with the at least two electrodes; wherein the applying voltage polymerizes the electroactive monomer into a conjugated polymer. Also disclosed are electrochromic articles prepared from the process and solid-state devices comprising a composite of an electrolyte composition and a conjugated polymer.

A variable transmittance optical filter comprising: a first layer comprising a first substantially transparent substrate with a substantially co-planar (SC) electrode system disposed thereon, the SC electrode system made of transparent electrically conductive material and comprising at least one pair of electrically separate electrodes arranged in a substantially co-planar manner on the first substantially transparent substrate, each pair of electrically separate electrodes comprising a first electrode and a second electrode, a second layer proximate to the first layer and comprising a transition material that darkens in response to a non-electrical stimulus and lightens in response to application of an electric voltage; and an electrical connection system for electrically connecting the SC electrode system to a source of electric voltage.

A variable transmittance optical filter comprising: a first layer comprising a first substantially transparent substrate with a substantially co-planar (SC) electrode system disposed thereon, the SC electrode system made of transparent electrically conductive material and comprising at least one pair of electrically separate electrodes arranged in a substantially co-planar manner on the first substantially transparent substrate, each pair of electrically separate electrodes comprising a first electrode and a second electrode, a second layer proximate to the first layer and comprising a transition material that darkens in response to a non-electrical stimulus and lightens in response to application of an electric voltage; and an electrical connection system for electrically connecting the SC electrode system to a source of electric voltage.