Flexible electrochromic foils: science, technology, and application

Andris Azens; Esteban Avendaño; Jonas Backholm; Lars Berggren; Greger Gustavsson; Richard Karmhag; Gunnar A. Niklasson; Arne Roos; Claes-Göran Granqvist

doi:10.1117/12.639179

13 June 2006 Flexible electrochromic foils: science, technology, and application

Andris Azens, Esteban Avendaño, Jonas Backholm, Lars Berggren, Greger Gustavsson, Richard Karmhag, Gunnar A. Niklasson, Arne Roos, Claes-Göran Granqvist

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 5946, Optical Materials and Applications; 59461A (2006) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.639179
Event: Optical Materials and Applications, 2005, Tartu, Estonia

Abstract

We discuss a number of aspects of a novel flexible electrochromic foil capable of varying its optical transmittance. The foil includes thin films of tungsten oxide and nickel oxide laminated together by a polymer electrolyte. Starting with scientific issues, we discuss the dominating defects in amorphous tungsten oxide and how they may yield a consistent picture of the optical properties of tungsten oxide films versus nonstoichiometry and ion intercalation. We also present a detailed model for the coloration/bleaching due to proton extraction/insertion in thin surface sheaths of nanocrystallites of nickel oxide. Next we consider aspects of technology and treat options to enhance the bleached-state transmittance by mixing the nickel oxide with another oxide having a wide band gap. We also cover pre-assembly charge insertion/extraction by facile gas treatments of the films as well as practical device manufacturing. The final part of the paper deals with a number of applications, with emphasis on architectural "smart windows" which can improve indoor comfort at the same time as they accomplish significant energy savings due to lowered requirements for air cooling. Applications concerning electrochromics-based eyewear are introduced; these may be approaching market introduction.

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Andris Azens, Esteban Avendaño, Jonas Backholm, Lars Berggren, Greger Gustavsson, Richard Karmhag, Gunnar A. Niklasson, Arne Roos, and Claes-Göran Granqvist "Flexible electrochromic foils: science, technology, and application", Proc. SPIE 5946, Optical Materials and Applications, 59461A (13 June 2006); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.639179

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