Tungsten oxide nanostructure thin films for electrochromic devices
A method of manufacturing a thin film is provided. The method includes providing a plurality of crystalline hexagonal tungsten trioxide particles, size-reducing the crystalline hexagonal tungsten trioxide particles by grinding to produce crystalline hexagonal tungsten trioxide nanostructures, and coating the crystalline hexagonal tungsten trioxide nanostructures onto a substrate to produce a thin film. An electrochromic multi-layer stack is also provided.
1. A method of manufacturing a thin film comprising:
providing a plurality of crystalline pyrochlore tungsten oxide particles;
size-reducing the crystalline pyrochlore tungsten oxide particles by grinding to produce crystalline pyrochlore tungsten oxide nanostructures; and
coating the crystalline pyrochlore tungsten oxide nanostructures onto a substrate to produce a thin film.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the crystalline pyrochlore tungsten oxide particles are produced via hydrothermal synthesis.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the thin film does not comprise a binder material.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises a material with a softening point less than 600° C.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises a material with a softening point less than 300° C.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the thin film is a layer in an electrochromic device.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the thin film is an electrochromic cathode layer in an electrochromic device.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises: an electrically conductive layer, and an outer substrate.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the electrically conductive layer is selected from a group consisting of: transparent conductive oxides, thin metallic coatings, networks of conductive nanoparticles conductive metal nitrides, and composite conductors.
10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the outer substrate is selected from a group consisting of: glass and plastic.
11. An electrochromic multi-layer stack comprising:
a thin film comprising crystalline pyrochlore tungsten oxide nanostructures;
an electrically conductive layer; and
an outer substrate,
wherein the thin film does not comprise a binder and wherein the thin film is an electrochromic cathode layer in an electrochromic device.
12. The electrochromic multi-layer stack of claim 11 , wherein the crystalline pyrochlore tungsten oxide nanostructures are produced via hydrothermal synthesis followed by size reduction via grinding.
13. The electrochromic multi-layer stack of claim 11 , wherein the transparent substrate comprises a material with a softening point less than 600° C.
14. The electrochromic multi-layer stack of claim 11 , wherein the multi-layer stack is incorporated into an electrochromic device.
15. The electrochromic multi-layer stack of claim 11 , wherein the electrically conductive layer is selected from the group consisting of: transparent conductive oxides, thin metallic coatings, networks of conductive nanoparticles conductive metal nitrides, and composite conductors.
16. The electrochromic multi-layer stack of claim 11 , wherein the outer substrate is selected from the group consisting of: glass and plastic.