Zn-Fe PBA Films by Two-step Electrodeposition Method: Preparation and Performance in Electrochromic Devices

doi:10.15541/jim20210724

Abstract

Abstract:

Electrochromic materials can be used in new display devices because of their color-changing properties with applied voltage. The current multicolor electrochromic devices (MCECDs) are mostly prepared using several organic materials of different colors, and their process is relatively complicated, leaving preparation of simple MCECDs is still a challenge. In order to simplify the preparation process, we proposed a Prussian blue analogue composite electrochromic (MC PBA) film with four typical color states of red, blue, green, and yellow for excellent performance ECD. In this work, the preparation of a Zn-Fe Prussian blue analogue composite (Zn-Fe PBA) film was proposed by a two-step electrodeposition method. It has only one pair of redox peaks in the cyclic voltammetry curve, which corresponds to the redox reaction between Fe^Ⅲ/Fe^Ⅱ. The electrochemical performance of the Zn-Fe PBA film is excellent, which hardly degrades after 10000 cycles. It is white with almost no color change during electrochemical redox, and does not affect the color when assembling multicolor electrochromic device (Z-MCECD) with MC-PBA film. In addition, the Zn-Fe PBA film is used as ion storage layer which can significantly reduce the overpotential from 4.0 V to 1.5 V in the corresponding ECD. Benefiting from the advantages of Zn-Fe PBA film, Z-MCECD maintains four typical color states of red, blue, green, and yellow, while the operating voltage is lower and the cycle stability is also significantly improved. The transmittance control range within 2400 s was almost no attenuated, and after 3600 s, transmittance still maintained 74.4% of the initial, while the multicolor group experienced completely irreversible performance loss after 1200 s. Z-MCECD has great application potential in color electrochromic display field.

Key words: electrochromism, Prussian blue analogues, ion storage layer, multicolor

CLC Number:

TQ174

ZHANG Jiaqiang, ZOU Xinlei, WANG Nengze, JIA Chunyang. Zn-Fe PBA Films by Two-step Electrodeposition Method: Preparation and Performance in Electrochromic Devices[J]. Journal of Inorganic Materials, 2022, 37(9): 961-968.

Figures/Tables 7

Fig. 1 Topography analyses of Zn film and Zn-Fe PBA film (a) Digital photo and SEM images of Zn film; (b) Digital photo and SEM images of Zn-Fe PBA film

Fig. 2 XRD patterns and growth principle of Zn-Fe PBA film

Fig. 3 XPS spectra of Zn-Fe PBA film (a) Full spectrum; (b-f) C1s, N1s, Fe2p, O1s, and Zn2p binding energy spectra. Colorful figures are available on website

Fig. 4 Electrochemical performance of Zn-Fe PBA film (a) Cyclic voltammetry curve; (b) Step cycle stability; (c) Response speed

Fig. 5 Transmittance spectra of Zn film and Zn-Fe PBA film Colorful figure is available on website

Fig. 6 Performance of multicolor electrochromic devices (a) Schematic diagram of MCECD preparation process; (b) Cyclic voltammetry curves of MCECDs; (c) Transmittance spectra of MCECDs at the initial state; (d) Transmittance spectra under different applied voltages of Z-MCECD; (e) Step cycle stability of MCECDs; (f) Digital photos of Z-MCECD under different applied voltages. Colorful figures are available on website

Fig. 7 Response speed of Z-MCECD (a-f) Transmittance time curves between (a) red and blue, (b) red and green, (c) red and yellow, (d) blue and green, (e) blue and yellow, and (f) green and yellow, respectively. Colorful figures are available on website

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