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Title: Chromic Mechanism in Amorphous WO3 Films

Journal Article · · Journal of the Electrochemical Society
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1149/1.1837737· OSTI ID:915284

We propose a new model for the chromic mechanism in amorphous tungsten oxide films (WO3-y .cntdot. nH2O). This model not only explains a variety of seemingly conflicting experimental results reported in the literature that cannot be explained by existing models, it also has practical implications with respect to improving the coloring efficiency and durability of electrochromic devices. According to this model, a typical as-deposited tungsten oxide film has tungsten mainly in W6+ and W4+ states and can be represented as W6+(1-y) W4+(y)O(3-y) .cntdot. nH2O. The proposed chromic mechanism is based on the small polaron transition between the charge-induced W5+ state and the orignial W4+ state insteasd of the W5+ and W6+ states as suggested in previous models. The correlation between the electrochromic and photochromic behavior in amorphous tungsten oxide films is also discussed.

Research Organization:
National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
AC36-99-GO10337
OSTI ID:
915284
Journal Information:
Journal of the Electrochemical Society, Vol. 144, Issue 6, June 1997; ISSN 0013-4651
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English