Fabrication of Large-Area, Affordable Dual-Function Electrochromic Smart Windows by Using a Hybrid Electrode Coated with an Oxygen-Deficient Tungsten Oxide Ultrathin Porous Film

Abstract

Electrochromic (EC) devices are not commercialized extensively owing to their high cost. The best large-area devices in the market suffer from not reaching a distinct dark-colored state. These devices appear more like a blue tinted glass. While a better performance demands the use of appropriate components, the cost-effectiveness of such components is crucial for commercialization. Specifically, the utilization of cost-effective electrodes, thin WO₃ coatings, and inexpensive electrolytes are essential for reducing the cost of EC devices. Here, we report a high-performing porous WO₃ thin film (∼130 nm) achieved by optimizing the DC sputtering process parameters. This way, an affordable dual-function EC energy-storage device was fabricated, showing 84% transmittance modulation and a high power density of 3036 mW/m², thus functioning simultaneously as a transparency switching energy-storage device. With a large-area (900 cm²) device, we have demonstrated that the need for expensive ITO electrodes and Li⁺ ion-based electrolytes can be eliminated by using a hybrid electrode (ITO/Al-mesh) and multivalent Al³⁺ ion-based electrolytes while not compromising the device performance. The findings of this study may revolutionize the EC device industry and their commercialization owing to inexpensive ingredients and scalable processing.