A novel electroactive poly(amic acid) (EDA-CON-EPAA) containing oligoaniline pendants, azobenzene and sulfonic acid groups was synthesized by copolymerization. The synergistic interplay of these three distinct functional groups results in a number of interesting and novel properties. The polymer showed photoisomerization induce by irradiation with ultraviolet light and visible light by virtue of azobenzene groups, and also revealed excellent electroactivity in acid, neutral and even in alkaline solutions (pH = 12) due to self-doping between oligoaniline and sulfonic acid (and/or carboxylic acid) groups. Moreover, EDA-CON-EPAA displayed acceptable electrochromic performance even in alkaline solutions and multiple colors attributed to the complementary effects of the two chromophores, which greatly enlarged the range of the electrochromic application. The coloration efficiency could still reach 93.8 cm(2)/C (at 700 nm) even at pH = 10. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.