Anodically colored nickel oxide (NiO) thin films are of much interest as counter electrodes in tungsten oxide based electrochromic devices such as "smart windows" for energy-efficient buildings. However, NiO films are prone to suffering severe charge density degradation upon prolonged electrochemical cycling, which can lead to insufficient device lifetime. Therefore, a means to improve the durability of NiO-based films is an important challenge at present. Here we report that the incorporation of a modest amount of iridium into NiO films [Ir/(Ir + Ni) = 7.6 atom %] leads to remarkable durability, exceeding 10000 cycles in a lithium-conducting electrolyte, along with significantly improved optical modulation during extended cycling. Structure characterization showed that the face-centered-cubic-type NiO structure remained after iridium addition. Moreover, the crystallinity of these films was enhanced upon electrochemical cycling.
Keywords: charge density; electrochromic; improved durability; iridium−nickel oxide; optical modulation.