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All-solid-state proton-based tandem structures for fast-switching electrochromic devices

Nature Electronics volume 5, pages 45–52 (2022)Cite this article

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A Publisher Correction to this article was published on 11 March 2022

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Abstract

All-solid-state electrochromic devices can be used to create smart windows that regulate the transmittance of solar radiation by applying a voltage. However, the devices suffer from a limited ion diffusion speed, which leads to slow colouration and bleaching processes. Here we report fast-switching electrochromic devices that are based on an all-solid-state tandem structure and use protons as the diffusing species. We use tungsten trioxide (WO3) as the electrochromic material, and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) as the solid-state proton source. This structure exhibits a low contrast ratio (that is, the difference between on and off transmittance); however, we add a solid polymeric electrolyte layer on top of PEDOT:PSS, which provides sodium ions to PEDOT:PSS and pumps protons to the WO3 layer through ion exchange. The resulting electrochromic devices exhibit high contrast ratios (more than 90% at 650 nm), fast responses (colouration to 90% in 0.7 s and bleaching to 65% in 0.9 s and 90% in 7.1 s), good colouration efficiency (109 cm2 C−1 at 670 nm) and excellent cycling stability (less than 10% degradation of contrast ratio after 3,000 cycles). We also fabricate large-area (30 × 40 cm2) and flexible devices, illustrating the scaling potential of the approach.

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Fig. 1: Design of a tandem-structure ECD.
Fig. 2: Characterization of the tandem-structure ECD.
Fig. 3: Performance of the tandem-structure ECD.
Fig. 4: Scale up of the tandem-structure ECD.

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Data availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding authors upon reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

This study was financially supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (no. 2021YFA0718900), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (nos. 51972328, 51903244, 62005301, 52002392 and 62175248); the Youth Innovation Promotion Association, Chinese Academy of Sciences (no. 2018288); Shanghai Sailing Program (nos. 19YF1454300 and 20YF1455400); Shanghai B&R International Cooperation Program (no. 20640770200); the Key Collaborative Research Program of the Alliance of International Science Organizations (no. ANSO-CR-KP-2021-01); Shanghai ‘Science and Technology Innovation Action Plan’ Intergovernmental International Science and Technology Cooperation Program (no. 21520712500).

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Author notes

  1. These authors contributed equally: Zewei Shao, Aibin Huang, Chen Ming.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of High Performance Ceramics and Superfine Microstructure, Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China

    Zewei Shao, Aibin Huang, Chen Ming, Yi-Yang Sun, Ping Jin & Xun Cao

  2. Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China

    Zewei Shao, Aibin Huang, Chen Ming, Yi-Yang Sun, Ping Jin & Xun Cao

  3. Chemistry, Physics and Mechanical Engineering Science and Engineering Faculty, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

    John Bell

  4. State Key Laboratory of Low-Dimensional Quantum Physics and Department of Physics, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China

    Pu Yu

  5. State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Float Glass, Bengbu, China

    Liangmao Jin & Liyun Ma

  6. Institute for the Conservation Culture Heritage, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China

    Hongjie Luo

  7. Materials Research Institute for Sustainable Development, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Nagoya, Japan

    Ping Jin

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Contributions

X.C. conceived the project. Z.S., Y.-Y.S., X.C. and A.H. designed the experiments and analysed the data. Z.S., L.J., L.M. and A.H. performed the experiments and some characterizations. Z.S. performed the optical simulations under the supervision of P.J., J.B. and H.L. Y.-Y.S., C.M. and Z.S. conceived the device working mechanism as well as conducted the computational studies and data analysis. Z.S. and Y.-Y.S. wrote the paper. All the authors discussed the results and commented on the manuscript.

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Yi-Yang Sun, Hongjie Luo or Xun Cao.

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Nature Electronics thanks Luca Beverina, Sheng Chen and Marie-Helene Delville for their contribution to the peer review of this work.

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Shao, Z., Huang, A., Ming, C. et al. All-solid-state proton-based tandem structures for fast-switching electrochromic devices. Nat Electron 5, 45–52 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41928-021-00697-4

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