Photochromic Characteristics of Mixed WO3 - MoO3 Thin Films in Alcohol Vapors

Investigation of the Photochromism of WO3, TiO2, and Composite WO3-TiO2 Nanoparticles

We report the synthesis of WO3, TiO2, and TiO2-WO3 nanoparticles by a polyol route, with the objective of studying the influence of the preparation method on their photochromic properties. By combining transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and diffuse reflectance experiments, we show that low W6+ concentrations and high ripening temperatures allow the preparation of WO3 nanoparticles with high photochromic efficiency. WO3-TiO2 nanocomposites (NCs) prepared by the introduction of a TiO2+ solution in a WO3 nanoparticle suspension exhibit a strong coloring photochromism, which is attributed to the TiO2 coating of the WO3 nanoparticles as it involves the formation of W-O-Ti oxo-bonds in place of W5+-νO defects. Especially, after an oxidative treatment in order to obtain an initial pale-yellow material, such WO3-TiO2 NCs exhibit a fully reversible photochromism with a large contrast between the colored and bleached state. They could therefore be incorporated in hybrid smart films for solar control on building window glasses. On the other hand, while the WO3-TiO2 NCs are functionalized with DPA (n-dodecyl phosphonic acid), the as-prepared nanocomposites exhibit exacerbated coloring contrast but with a nearly nonreversible photochromism (very limited bleaching), which makes them good candidates for the fabrication of smart UV-sensor devices that can indicate the cumulative UV dose which is received.

Photochromic Behavior of ZnO/MoO3 Interfaces

ZnO/MoO₃ powder mixture exhibits a huge photochromic effect in comparison with the corresponding single oxides. The coloring efficiency of such combined material after UV-light irradiation was studied in terms of intensity, kinetics, and ZnO/MoO₃ powder ratio. Additionally, the incidence of the pretreatment step of the ZnO and MoO₃ powders under different atmospheres (air, Ar or Ar/H₂ flow) was analyzed. The huge photochromic effect discovered herein was interpreted as the creation of "self-closed Schottky barrier" at the solid/solid interfaces between the two oxides, associated with the full redox reaction which can be pictured by the equation ZnO_1-ε + MoO₃ → ZnO + MoO_3-ε. Remarkable optical contrast between virgin and color states as well as self-bleaching in dark allowing the reversibility of the photochromism is emphasized. From this first discovery, deeper characterization of the self-bleaching process shows that the photochromic mechanism is complex with a bleaching efficiency (possibility to come back to the virgin material optical properties without any deterioration) and a bleaching kinetics, which are both dependent on the coloring irradiation time. This demonstrates that the oxygen exchange through the Schottky interface proceeds in at least two convoluted steps: an anionic surface exchange allowing a reversibility of the redox reaction followed by bulk diffusion of the exchanged anions which are then definitively trapped. An emergent "negative photochromism effect" (i.e., photochromism associated with a self-bleaching instead of a darkening under irradiation) is observed after a long irradiation time.

Facile Solution Synthesis of Tungsten Trioxide Doped with Nanocrystalline Molybdenum Trioxide for Electrochromic Devices

A facile, highly efficient approach to obtain molybdenum trioxide (MoO3)-doped tungsten trioxide (WO3) is reported. An annealing process was used to transform ammonium tetrathiotungstate [(NH4)2WS4] to WO3 in the presence of oxygen. Ammonium tetrathiomolybdate [(NH4)2MoS4] was used as a dopant to improve the film for use in an electrochromic (EC) cell. (NH4)2MoS4 at different concentrations (10, 20, 30, and 40 mM) was added to the (NH4)2WS4 precursor by sonication and the samples were annealed at 500 °C in air. Raman, X-ray diffraction, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements confirmed that the (NH4)2WS4 precursor decomposed to WO3 and the (NH4)2MoS4-(NH4)2WS4 precursor was transformed to MoO3-doped WO3 after annealing at 500 °C. It is shown that the MoO3-doped WO3 film is more uniform and porous than pure WO3, confirming the doping quality and the privileges of the proposed method. The optimal MoO3-doped WO3 used as an EC layer exhibited a high coloration efficiency of 128.1 cm2/C, which is larger than that of pure WO3 (74.5 cm2/C). Therefore, MoO3-doped WO3 synthesized by the reported method is a promising candidate for high-efficiency and low-cost smart windows.

Molybdenum Oxide Nitrides of the Mo2(O,N,□)5 Type: On the Way to Mo2O5

Blue-colored molybdenum oxide nitrides of the Mo₂(O,N,□)₅ type were synthesized by direct nitridation of commercially available molybdenum trioxide with a mixture of gaseous ammonia and oxygen. Chemical composition, crystal structure, and stability of the obtained and hitherto unknown compounds are studied extensively. The average oxidation state of +5 for molybdenum is proven by Mo K near-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy; the magnetic behavior is in agreement with compounds exhibiting Mo^VO₆ units. The new materials are stable up to ∼773 K in an inert gas atmosphere. At higher temperatures, decomposition is observed. X-ray and neutron powder diffraction, electron diffraction, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy reveal the structure to be related to VNb₉O_24.9-type phases, however, with severe disorder hampering full structure determination. Still, the results demonstrate the possibility of a future synthesis of the potential binary oxide Mo₂O₅. On the basis of these findings, a tentative suggestion on the crystal structure of the potential compound Mo₂O₅, backed by electronic-structure and phonon calculations from first principles, is given.

Bifunctional MoO3-WO3/Ag/MoO3-WO3 Films for Efficient ITO-Free Electrochromic Devices

Dielectric-metal-dielectric (DMD) trilayer films, served as both electrochromic (EC) film and transparent conductor (TC), have exhibited great potential application in low-cost, ITO-free electrochromic devices (ECDs). However, recent reports on the DMD-based ECDs revealed that the response time and the optical modulation properties were not very satisfactory. Here, the mixed MoO₃-WO₃ materials were first introduced as the dielectric layer to construct an EC-TC bifunctional MoO₃-WO₃/Ag/MoO₃-WO₃ (MWAMW) film, which demonstrates strong and broad-band optical modulation in the visible light region, fast color-switching time (2.7 s for coloration and 4.1 s for bleaching), along with high coloration efficiency (70 cm² C^-1). The electrical structure and electrochemical reaction kinetics analysis revealed that the improved EC performances are associated with the increased electron intervalence transition together with the fast charge-transfer and ion-diffusion dynamics.