Stretchable, Electrochemically-Stable Electrochromic Devices Based on Semi-Embedded Ag@Au Nanowire Network

Stretchable electrochromic (EC) devices that can adapt the irregular and dynamic human surfaces show promising applications in wearable display, adaptive camouflage, and visual sensation. However, challenges exist in lacking transparent conductive electrodes with both tensile and electrochemical stability to assemble the complex device structure and endure harsh electrochemical redox reactions. Herein, a wrinkled, semi-embedded Ag@Au nanowire (NW) networks are constructed on elastomer substrates to fabricate stretchable, electrochemically-stable conductive electrodes. The stretchable EC devices are then fabricated by sandwiching a viologen-based gel electrolyte between two conductive electrodes with the semi-embedded Ag@Au NW network. Because the inert Au layer inhibits the oxidation of Ag NWs, the EC device exhibits much more stable color changes between yellow and green than those with pure Ag NW networks. In addition, since the wrinkled semi-embedded structure is deformable and reversibly stretched without serious fractures, the EC devices still maintain excellent color-changing stability under 40% stretching/releasing cycles.

Automated summary

Stretchable electrochromic devices were fabricated using wrinkled, semi-embedded Ag@Au nanowire networks as conductive electrodes. These devices showed much more stable color changes between yellow and green compared to those with pure Ag nanowire networks, thanks to the inert Au layer inhibiting the oxidation of Ag nanowires. Additionally, the devices maintained excellent color-changing stability even under 40% stretching/releasing cycles due to the deformable and reversibly stretched semi-embedded structure.