Low-Temperature Thermally Annealed Niobium Oxide Thin Films as a Minimally Color Changing Ion Storage Layer in Solution-Processed Polymer Electrochromic Devices

The limited availability of solution-processable ion storage materials, both inorganic and organic, hinders the adoption of roll-to-roll manufacturing for polymer electro-chromic devices (ECDs). The n-type transition metal oxides are known for their ion storage properties. However, the fabrication methods of their amorphous metal oxide thin films typically involve sputtering, thermal deposition, electrical deposition, or sol-gel deposition followed by high-temperature thermal annealing (>300 degrees C), thus making them incompatible for low-cost roll-to-roll manufacturing on flexible substrates. In this study, we report the synthesis of amorphous niobium oxide(a-Nb2O5) thin films from sol-gel precursors through the combination of photoactivation and low-temperature thermal annealing (150 degrees C). Coupled with p-type electrochromic polymers (ECPs), solution-processed a-Nb2O5 thin films were evaluated as a minimally color changing counter electrode (MCC-CE) material for electrochromic devices. We found that ultraviolet ozone (UVO) treated and 150 degrees C thermally annealed (UVO-150 degrees C) a-Nb2O5 thin films show excellent electrochemical properties and cycling stability. Notably, a-Nb2O5/ECP-magenta ECD has a high optical contrast of similar to 70% and a fast switching time (bleaching and coloring time of 1.6 and 0.5 s for reaching 95% of optical contrast). In addition, the ECD demonstrates a high coloration efficiency of similar to 849.5 mC cm(-2) and a long cycling stability without a noticeable decay up to 3000 cycles.