ELECTROCHEMICAL CYCLING AND ELECTROCHROMIC PROPERTIES OF POLYINDOLE

Polyindole can be obtained after anodic oxidation of indole C8NH7 in a cetonitrile - LiClO4 Or LiBF4 solutions. This electroactive material p resenting an electrical conductivity close to 10(-1) S.cm-1 is green i n the doped state and yellow in the reduced form. The behavior of this polymer during prolongated doping-dedoping cycles has been examined : between -0,5 and 0,9 V versus standard calomel electrode, the green t o yellow colour change can be observed over more than 450 000 redox cy cles. For oxidizing potentials higher than 0,9 V, the irreversible deg radation, of polyindole results in the decrease of the electrical cond uctivity and in the loss of its electrochromic properties.