Capturing ion trapping and detrapping dynamics in electrochromic thin films
Abstract Ion trapping has been found to be responsible for the performance degradation in electrochromic oxide thin films, and a detrapping procedure was proved to be effective to rejuvenate the degraded films. Despite of the studies on ion trapping and detrapping, its dynamics remain largely unknow...
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| Format: | Article |
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Nature Portfolio
2024-03-01
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| Series: | Nature Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-46500-8 |
| _version_ | 1797259119335309312 |
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| author | Renfu Zhang Qinqi Zhou Siyuan Huang Yiwen Zhang Rui-Tao Wen |
| author_facet | Renfu Zhang Qinqi Zhou Siyuan Huang Yiwen Zhang Rui-Tao Wen |
| author_sort | Renfu Zhang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Ion trapping has been found to be responsible for the performance degradation in electrochromic oxide thin films, and a detrapping procedure was proved to be effective to rejuvenate the degraded films. Despite of the studies on ion trapping and detrapping, its dynamics remain largely unknown. Moreover, coloration mechanisms of electrochromic oxides are also far from clear, limiting the development of superior devices. Here, we visualize ion trapping and detrapping dynamics in a model electrochromic material, amorphous WO3. Specifically, formation of orthorhombic Li2WO4 during long-term cycling accounts for the origin of shallow traps. Deep traps are multiple-step-determined, composed of mixed W4+-Li2WO4, amorphous Li2WO4 and W4+-Li2O. The non-decomposable W4+-Li2WO4 couple is the origin of the irreversible traps. Furthermore, we demonstrate that, besides the typical small polaron hopping between W5+ ↔ W6+ sites, bipolaron hopping between W4+ ↔ W6+ sites gives rise to optical absorption in the short-wavelength region. Overall, we provide a general picture of electrochromism based on polaron hopping. Ion trapping and detrapping were demonstrated to also prevail in other cathodic electrochromic oxides. This work not only provides the ion trapping and detrapping dynamics of WO3, but also open avenues to study other cathodic electrochromic oxides and develop superior electrochromic devices with great durability. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T23:04:22Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-00df535a5d96479da60d9d44e2ba7887 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2041-1723 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T23:04:22Z |
| publishDate | 2024-03-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nature Communications |
| spelling | doaj.art-00df535a5d96479da60d9d44e2ba78872024-03-17T12:32:06ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232024-03-0115111210.1038/s41467-024-46500-8Capturing ion trapping and detrapping dynamics in electrochromic thin filmsRenfu Zhang0Qinqi Zhou1Siyuan Huang2Yiwen Zhang3Rui-Tao Wen4Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and TechnologyDepartment of Materials Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and TechnologyDepartment of Materials Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and TechnologyDepartment of Materials Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and TechnologyDepartment of Materials Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and TechnologyAbstract Ion trapping has been found to be responsible for the performance degradation in electrochromic oxide thin films, and a detrapping procedure was proved to be effective to rejuvenate the degraded films. Despite of the studies on ion trapping and detrapping, its dynamics remain largely unknown. Moreover, coloration mechanisms of electrochromic oxides are also far from clear, limiting the development of superior devices. Here, we visualize ion trapping and detrapping dynamics in a model electrochromic material, amorphous WO3. Specifically, formation of orthorhombic Li2WO4 during long-term cycling accounts for the origin of shallow traps. Deep traps are multiple-step-determined, composed of mixed W4+-Li2WO4, amorphous Li2WO4 and W4+-Li2O. The non-decomposable W4+-Li2WO4 couple is the origin of the irreversible traps. Furthermore, we demonstrate that, besides the typical small polaron hopping between W5+ ↔ W6+ sites, bipolaron hopping between W4+ ↔ W6+ sites gives rise to optical absorption in the short-wavelength region. Overall, we provide a general picture of electrochromism based on polaron hopping. Ion trapping and detrapping were demonstrated to also prevail in other cathodic electrochromic oxides. This work not only provides the ion trapping and detrapping dynamics of WO3, but also open avenues to study other cathodic electrochromic oxides and develop superior electrochromic devices with great durability.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-46500-8 |
| spellingShingle | Renfu Zhang Qinqi Zhou Siyuan Huang Yiwen Zhang Rui-Tao Wen Capturing ion trapping and detrapping dynamics in electrochromic thin films Nature Communications |
| title | Capturing ion trapping and detrapping dynamics in electrochromic thin films |
| title_full | Capturing ion trapping and detrapping dynamics in electrochromic thin films |
| title_fullStr | Capturing ion trapping and detrapping dynamics in electrochromic thin films |
| title_full_unstemmed | Capturing ion trapping and detrapping dynamics in electrochromic thin films |
| title_short | Capturing ion trapping and detrapping dynamics in electrochromic thin films |
| title_sort | capturing ion trapping and detrapping dynamics in electrochromic thin films |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-46500-8 |
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