Structure evolution of electrochromic devices from 'face-to-face' to 'shoulder-by-shoulder'

A traditional electrochromic device contains at least five functional layers; the electrochromic film exactly faces the counter electrode and matches it in size and color. This face-to-face structure is cumbersome for device flexibility and integration; thus, it is difficult for these devices to mee...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of materials chemistry. C, Materials for optical and electronic devices Materials for optical and electronic devices, 2020-08, Vol.8 (32), p.1142-1151
Main Authors: Tang, Xiufeng, Chen, Guoxin, Li, Zhixin, Li, Hua, Zhang, Zehui, Zhang, Qinghao, Ou, Zhijun, Li, Yongxian, Qi, Chengjian, Luo, Jianyi
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Electrochromic cells
Electrochromism
Electrodes
Evolution
Response time
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Summary:A traditional electrochromic device contains at least five functional layers; the electrochromic film exactly faces the counter electrode and matches it in size and color. This face-to-face structure is cumbersome for device flexibility and integration; thus, it is difficult for these devices to meet sophisticated application needs. Concurrently, a lateral electrochromic structure in which the electrochromic film and the counter electrode are arranged in a shoulder-by-shoulder manner was proved to be a superior choice for many specific applications. However, systematic exploration of the shoulder-by-shoulder EC structure is lacking. Herein, a WO 3 vs. WO 3 electrochromic system was constructed to systematically discuss the EC characteristics and superior applications of the shoulder-by-shoulder structure. Surprisingly, when one EC unit in the shoulder-by-shoulder system was first colored at a certain transmittance, a much faster response time and a lower driving voltage than those of the traditional face-to-face structure were achieved. Additionally, this configuration endowed the counter electrode with great freedom in terms of material, shape and placement position, and it showed great superiority in vast applications. These results provide insight into the structure evolution of electrochromic devices. This work describes systematic studies of shoulder-by-shoulder electrochromic devices to reveal their special characteristics and specific applications.
ISSN:2050-7526
2050-7534
DOI:10.1039/d0tc01132k