Journal
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Volume 116, Issue 26, Pages 12666-12671Publisher
NATL ACAD SCIENCES
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1822007116
Keywords
single-particle electro-optical imaging; tungsten oxide; single-particle electrochromism; ion-insertion kinetics
Categories
Funding
- NSF
- American Statistical Association [DMS-1560332]
- CSU
- Air Force Office of Scientific Research [FA9550-17-1-0255]
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Nanomaterials have tremendous potential to increase electrochromic smart window efficiency, speed, and durability. However, nanoparticles vary in size, shape, and surface defects, and it is unknown how nanoparticle heterogeneity contributes to particle-dependent electrochromic properties. Here, we use single-nanoparticle-level electro-optical imaging to measure structure-function relationships in electrochromic tungsten oxide nanorods. Single nanorods exhibit a particle-dependent waiting time for tinting (from 100 ms to 10 s) due to Li-ion insertion at optically inactive surface sites. Longer nanorods tint darker than shorter nanorods and exhibit a Li-ion gradient that increases from the nanorod ends to the middle. The particle-dependent ion-insertion kinetics contribute to variable tinting rates and magnitudes across large-area smart windows. Next, we quantified how particle-particle interactions impact tinting dynamics and reversibility as the nanorod building blocks are assembled into a thin film. Interestingly, single particles tint 4 times faster and cycle 20 times more reversibly than thin films made of the same particles. These findings allow us to propose a nanostructured electrode architecture that optimizes optical modulation rates and reversibility across large-area smart windows.
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