Low-Spin Fe Redox-Based Prussian Blue with excellent selective dual-band electrochromic modulation and energy-saving applications

Dajiang Tang; Junxin Wang; Xue-An Liu; Zhangfa Tong; Hongbing Ji; Hui-Ying Qu

doi:10.1016/j.jcis.2023.01.017

Low-Spin Fe Redox-Based Prussian Blue with excellent selective dual-band electrochromic modulation and energy-saving applications

J Colloid Interface Sci. 2023 Apr 15:636:351-362. doi: 10.1016/j.jcis.2023.01.017. Epub 2023 Jan 8.

Authors

Dajiang Tang¹, Junxin Wang², Xue-An Liu¹, Zhangfa Tong¹, Hongbing Ji¹, Hui-Ying Qu³

Affiliations

¹ Guangxi Key Laboratory of Petrochemical Resource Processing and Process Intensification Technology, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China.
² Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy, University of Cambridge, 27 Charles Babbage Road, Cambridge CB3 0FS, United Kingdom.
³ Guangxi Key Laboratory of Petrochemical Resource Processing and Process Intensification Technology, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China. Electronic address: huiying.qu@gxu.edu.cn.

PMID: 36638574
DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2023.01.017

Abstract

Dual-band electrochromic materials (DBEMs) are of utmost importance for smart windows to realize independent control of the visible (VIS) and near-infrared (NIR) light. However, very few single-component DBEMs are capable of independently and effectively controlling both VIS and NIR light. Here, we present Prussian blue (PB) with remarkable performance to replace the composite DBEMs that require deliberate design and complicated preparation. Excellent durability and capacity were achieved simultaneously due to the activated low-spin Fe in PB. A dual-band electrochromic device (DBED) by using PB thin films as electrochromic layers was constructed, exhibiting superior dual-band electrochromic performance, energy storage performance and memory effect. We show that the energy-saving DBED can be bleached without applying any external bias potential, and can be colored by using a commercial photovoltaic solar panel under ambient solar irradiation. The stored energy during coloration can be further used to light up the lights. Finally, the coloration mechanism of the DBED was studied by the density functional theory calculations, to shed light on the large optical transmittance modulation in both VIS and NIR regions. The new insights will advance the design of efficient and durable DBEMs and the development of bi-functional smart windows.

Keywords: Bi-functional device; Dual-band electrochromism; Energy storage; Prussian blue; Smart window.