Issue 24, 2016

Lightweight, highly bendable and foldable electrochromic films based on all-solution-processed bilayer nanowire networks

Abstract

Mechanical and electrochemical stability issues of electrode materials have been long-standing obstacles restricting the development of highly flexible electrochromics. Herein, a lightweight, highly bendable and foldable electrochromic (EC) film is realized through the construction of mechanically and electrochemically stable bilayer nanowire networks (BNNs) on ultra-thin polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrates. These BNNs composed of silver nanowires (AgNWs) and W18O49 nanowires (W18O49NWs) are prepared using a facile and continuous spray-coating method. An alginic acid/poly(dopamine) complex (Aa–PDA) and a poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) layer are used as a binder and a charge balancing layer, respectively, to enhance the interfacial and structural stability of nanowires and prevent the electrochemical corrosion of AgNWs. These optimized and highly flexible EC films exhibit good optical contrast, high coloration efficiency (up to 118.1 cm2 C−1), highly enhanced electrochemical stability and excellent structural stability even after 500 bending or 100 folding cycles. Moreover, EC films per square centimeter weigh less than 2.3 mg. The spray-coating method is easily controlled and allowed for convenient patterning, which is important for real-life applications.

Graphical abstract: Lightweight, highly bendable and foldable electrochromic films based on all-solution-processed bilayer nanowire networks

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
14 Apr 2016
Accepted
23 May 2016
First published
23 May 2016

J. Mater. Chem. C, 2016,4, 5849-5857

Lightweight, highly bendable and foldable electrochromic films based on all-solution-processed bilayer nanowire networks

K. Li, Q. Zhang, H. Wang and Y. Li, J. Mater. Chem. C, 2016, 4, 5849 DOI: 10.1039/C6TC01516F

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