Reflective Property of Inorganic Electrochromic Materials

doi:10.15541/jim20200465

Abstract

Abstract:

Optical property, such as color, transmittance, reflectance and emissivity, of electrochromic materials can be changed reversibly under low applied voltages. Electrochromic materials have a wide range of regulatable spectrum, which can realize the broadband control from the visible to mid-far-infrared. Electrochromic materials show a wide application prospect in the fields of intelligent window, display, anti-glare rearview mirror, intelligent thermal control, and camouflage. At present, most of researches on inorganic electrochromic materials focus mainly on transmission characteristics, but less on reflection characteristics. This is mainly because most inorganic electrochromic materials have single color and are not as easy to design as organic electrochromic materials. In recent years, through special preparation and structural design, the research on reflective properties of inorganic electrochromic materials has gradually attracted researchers’ attention. Based on reflection characteristics of inorganic electrochromic materials, methods and principles of regulating the reflectance spectrum in the visible near infrared to mid-far-infrared bands are introduced, and the latest research progress is summarized. Within the visible band, reflectance spectrum control is mainly achieved by vanadium pentoxide (V₂O₅) and V₂O₅ doping, microstructure of one dimensional photonic crystal, Fabry Perot nanocavity structure and localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR). Within the mid-to-far infrared band, electrochromic devices (ECDs) based on the molecular vibration absorption of tungsten oxide (WO₃) or other electrochromic materials and related theory are designed and fabricated to regulate reflectance spectra. Finally, the practical application of inorganic electrochromic materials in future is prospected.

Key words: electrochromic, reflectance, emittance, inorganic material, multicolor, review

CLC Number:

TQ174

ZHANG Xiang, LI Wenjie, WANG Lebin, CHEN Xi, ZHAO Jiupeng, LI Yao. Reflective Property of Inorganic Electrochromic Materials[J]. Journal of Inorganic Materials, 2021, 36(5): 451-460.

Figures/Tables 10

Fig. 1 Top-view SEM images of coralline V2O5 nanorod architecture (a), digital photos of coralline V2O5 architecture under different voltages (b), SEM images of SnO2/V2O5 films (c), color parameters (Lab color mode) and optical images of SnO2/V2O5 films at different working states (d), cross-sectional SEM image of the ITO/WO3/Ta2O5/Li/V2O5/ITO ECD (Electrochromic Device) (e), digital photos of the ECD in the bleached and colored state (f), schematic illustration of a large-scale Zn-SVO electrochromic display showing three intrinsic colors (g), and digital photographs of the large-scale Zn-SVO display under different voltage bias conditions (h)[17,18,19,20]

Fig. 2 Color effects recorded at a 60° angle for cathodic coloration (yellow stack) and anodic coloration (green stack) of an orange-red 7 double-layer nanoparticle NiO/WO3 stack (a), and electrochromic properties of dense WO3 film and 4-bilayer electrochromic distributed Bragg reflectors with various Bragg wavelength (b) (λB=450, 550, 650 nm)[22,23]

Fig. 3 Color gallery obtained from F-P nanocavity-type electrochromic electrode at different applied potentials[24]

Fig. 4 Scheme and photographs of the two-electrode electrochromic cell (a), digital images of the film during coloration (5-30 s) and bleaching process (1-3 s) (b)[25,26,27]

Fig. 5 Schematic diagram of ECD structure (a) and infrared reflectance spectra (b)[35]

Fig. 6 Spectral emittance of ECD (a) and infrared optical photograph (b)[40]

Fig. 7 Schematic diagrams of ECD structures (a, b) and infrared reflectance spectra with different crystalline WO3 (c-e)[42]

Fig. 8 Cross-sectional SEM image of the ECD (a) and visible-to-infrared spectral emittance (b)[43]

Fig. 9 Schematic drawing of graphene device (a), schematic representation of working principle of the graphene device (b), thermal camera images of device under the voltage bias of 0 and 3 V, respectively (c, d)[44]

Fig. 10 Crystal structures of Li4Ti5O12 and Li7Ti5O12 (a), visible-to-infrared spectral reflectance (b), photograph (top) and thermograph (bottom) in the two states (c)[45]

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