Applications of Viologens in Organic and Inorganic Discoloration Materials

Abstract Viologen derived from 4,4’‐bipyridine has attracted much attention because of its color changing properties with electron transfer, unique redox stability and structural diversity. These characteristics have led to its successful use in various applications, in particular in color‐changing materials. In the past few years, researchers have been working on the syntheses of viologen‐based color‐changing functional materials, and such materials have been widely used in many fields. In photochromic materials, it is used as anti‐counterfeiting material; in thermochromic, it is used as memory storage material, and in electrochromic, it is used as a battery material. This Review discusses the progress of viologen in organic and inorganic discoloration materials in recent years. The syntheses of viologen and its derivatives are summarized, and its application in the field of discoloration materials is introduced.