Self-seeded growth of nest-like hydrated tungsten trioxide film directly on FTO substrate for highly enhanced electrochromic performance

Abstract

Self-seeded hydrothermal process could eliminate the grain boundaries existing in the nanocrystalline base layer, which speeds up electron transport to the fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) glass and promotes electron transfer efficiency. This report highlights the hierarchical nest-like WO₃·0.33H₂O film grown directly on bare FTO glass without a seed layer prepared in advance. The film exhibits highly improved electrochromic performances.