Reversible Zn2+ Insertion in Tungsten Ion-Activated Titanium Dioxide Nanocrystals for Electrochromic Windows

Yi Liang; Sheng Cao; Qilin Wei; Ruosheng Zeng; Jialong Zhao; Haizeng Li; William W Yu; Bingsuo Zou

doi:10.1007/s40820-021-00719-y

Reversible Zn²⁺ Insertion in Tungsten Ion-Activated Titanium Dioxide Nanocrystals for Electrochromic Windows

Nanomicro Lett. 2021 Sep 14;13(1):196. doi: 10.1007/s40820-021-00719-y.

Authors

Yi Liang¹, Sheng Cao², Qilin Wei¹, Ruosheng Zeng¹, Jialong Zhao¹, Haizeng Li³, William W Yu⁴, Bingsuo Zou⁵

Affiliations

¹ MOE Key Laboratory of New Processing Technology for Non-Ferrous Metals and Materials, and Guangxi Key Laboratory of Processing for Non-Ferrous Metals and Featured Materials, School of Physical Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, People's Republic of China.
² MOE Key Laboratory of New Processing Technology for Non-Ferrous Metals and Materials, and Guangxi Key Laboratory of Processing for Non-Ferrous Metals and Featured Materials, School of Physical Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, People's Republic of China. caosheng@gxu.edu.cn.
³ Institute of Frontier and Interdisciplinary Science, Shandong University, Qingdao, 266237, People's Republic of China. haizeng@sdu.edu.cn.
⁴ Department of Chemistry and Physics, Louisiana State University, Shreveport, LA, 71115, USA.
⁵ MOE Key Laboratory of New Processing Technology for Non-Ferrous Metals and Materials, and Guangxi Key Laboratory of Processing for Non-Ferrous Metals and Featured Materials, School of Physical Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, People's Republic of China. zoubs@gxu.edu.cn.

Abstract

Zinc-anode-based electrochromic devices (ZECDs) are emerging as the next-generation energy-efficient transparent electronics. We report anatase W-doped TiO₂ nanocrystals (NCs) as a Zn²⁺ active electrochromic material. It demonstrates that the W doping in TiO₂ highly reduces the Zn²⁺ intercalation energy, thus triggering the electrochromism. The prototype ZECDs based on W-doped TiO₂ NCs deliver a high optical modulation (66% at 550 nm), fast spectral response times (9/2.7 s at 550 nm for coloration/bleaching), and good electrochemical stability (8.2% optical modulation loss after 1000 cycles).

Keywords: Doping; Electrochromism; Smart windows; TiO2; Zn2+-based electrochromic.