Ito as counter-electrode in a polymer based electrochromic device

Polymer-Based Electrochemical Devices

Selected findings of ongoing investigations of variable light-transmission electrochromic devices using electronically conducting polymers as electrochromic materials are presented and discussed.

An obvious requisite for electrochromic windows is an all-solid configuration with polymer electrolyte; in this connection testing data of a new hybrid electrolyte based on a polymer network including a plasticizer are reported and discussed.

Solvent-annealing-induced self-organization of poly(3-hexylthiophene), a high-performance electrochromic material

We have systematically studied the self-organization of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT), an electrochromic material, upon control of the solvent evaporation rate. We characterized these polymer films using atomic force microscopy and X-ray diffraction measurements. Well-ordered P3HT structures were developed after solvent annealing; these highly crystalline structures exhibited enhanced electrochromic contrast and reduced resistance within the film, leading to larger coloration efficiencies and faster switching times. The optical contrast (Delta%T), coloration efficiency, and switching time of the P3HT films increased from 54.2%, 182.6 cm(2) C(-1), and 5.3 s, respectively, prior to solvent annealing to 64.8%, 293.5 cm(2) C(-1), and 3.2 s, respectively, after application of the solvent-annealing conditions.