Hole scavenger-free photochromic response in doped anatase titanium dioxide quantum dot nanoparticles

Abstract

Photochromic materials are important for smart windows for energy management. Transition metal oxide (TMO) semiconductor photochromic materials are limited by the need for a dedicated hole scavenger to promote photogenerated electron accumulation. This limits the integration of TMOs in devices for practical uses. Moreover, the hole scavenger is exhausted in time, thus limiting the long-term operation. Here, we demonstrate the photochromic performance of doped titanium dioxide (TiO₂) nanoparticles, which not only show increased photochromic performance when compared to TiO₂ nanoparticles but are also capable of photo-darkening without the presence of a dedicated hole scavenger.