Voltage-tunable multicolor electrochromic devices (ECDs) are fabricated based on flexible ion gels consisting of copolymers and ionic liquids as an electrolyte layer. Dimethyl ferrocene (dmFc) is incorporated into the gel, which serves as an anodic species. In this study, two electrochromic (EC) materials, monoheptyl viologen (MHV+) and diheptyl viologen (DHV2+), are employed and show significantly different EC behavior despite the similar chemical structure. Both MHV+- and DHV2+-containing ECDs are slightly yellowish in the bleached state, whereas the colored states are magenta and blue, respectively. All devices have good coloration efficiency of 87.5 cm2/C (magenta) and 91.3 cm2/C (blue). In addition, the required power of ∼248 μW/cm2 (magenta) and ∼72 μW/cm2 (blue) to maintain the colored state put the ion gel-based ECDs in a class of ultralow power consumption displays. On the basis of the distinct difference in the coloration voltage range between MHV+ and DHV2+, and the rubbery character of the gel, flexible ECDs showing multiple colors are demonstrated. These results imply that voltage-tunable multicolor ECDs based on the gel are attractive to functional electrochemical displays.
Keywords: electrochemical displays; electrochromism; flexible electronics; ion gels; low-power displays.