Novel electrode materials and advanced electrochemical diagnostics for electrochromic devices

Abstract

Electrochromic materials (ECMs) are a class of “smart” materials used in a variety of applications due to the ability to alter their optical properties with the application of a potential. For these applications, ECMs are fashioned into electrochromic devices (ECDs). However, commercialization of ECDs are limited due to challenges with cyclic stability and optical durability. Commonly, it is seen that ECM development is vastly investigated, while insight into the overall ECD architecture is limited. In this work, the effect of the counter electrode (CE) and operating potentials were investigated using an Fe (II) terpyridine based complex as the ECM. From this, it was found that by improving the charge-storage properties at the CE and limiting the potential window used, ECD degradation could be minimized. Furthermore, by employing these modifications it was found that the lifetime of these ECDs were able to undergo months of constant cycling, as opposed to days, with further improvement to their optical properties.