Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 31, 2026

Electroactive Polymer Nanoparticles Exhibiting Photothermal Properties
Published on: January 8, 2016
An Electrochromic Pure Poly(N-phenylglycine) with a High Optical Modulation Amplitude, a Wide Color Gamut, and Safe
Hongyu Qin1, Xiaoyang Chen1, Fei Gao1
1Sauvage Laboratory for Smart Materials, State Key Laboratory of Advanced Welding and Joining, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China.
None:
Conductive polymer-based electrochromic materials (ECMs), distinguished by their wide color tunability and low cost, are limited particularly in terms of their optical modulation range and response time; meanwhile, their monomers pose significant risks to human health and the environment. In this work, we report a nontoxic polyaniline (PANI)-based derivative, poly(N-phenylglycine) (PNPG). By introducing carboxyl groups onto the nitrogen atoms of the polymer backbone, the conjugated and electronic structure of the polymer was modified, thus reducing the bandgap of PNPG and facilitating charge transportation. Therefore, PNPG demonstrates a remarkable optical modulation amplitude (85% at 778 nm) and a broad color gamut (CIE chromaticity coordinate ranges: x, 0.26-0.4; y, 0.29-0.47). Furthermore, PNPG is successfully integrated into both rigid and flexible electrochromic devices. This work offers a solution for the development of high-performance, nontoxic conductive polymers, highlighting the potential for advanced applications in smart electronics.
Related Concept Videos
Colors and Magnetism
When atoms or molecules absorb light at the proper frequency, their electrons are excited to higher-energy orbitals. For many main group atoms and molecules, the absorbed photons are in the ultraviolet range of the electromagnetic spectrum, which cannot be detected by the human eye. For coordination compounds, the energy difference between the d orbitals often allows photons in the visible range to be absorbed and emitted, which is seen as colors by the human eye.
UV–Vis Spectrum
The UV–Vis spectrum of a molecule is the plot of its absorbance versus wavelength. The plot is drawn by taking molar absorptivity (ε) or log ε on the y-axis (ordinate)...
UV–Vis Spectroscopy of Conjugated Systems
One of the factors influencing λmax is the extent of conjugation in the...
UV–Vis Spectrometers
Photoluminescence: Applications
Photoreceptors and Visual Pathways

