A Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxypyrrole)-Au@WO3-Based Electrochromic Pseudocapacitor

A poly(3,4-ethylenedioxypyrrole)-gold nanoparticle (Au)-tungsten oxide (PEDOP-Au@WO3) electrochromic supercapacitor electrode capable of optically modulating solar energy while simultaneously storing/releasing energy (in the form of charge) was fabricated for the first time. WO3 fibers, 50 to 200 nm long and 20 to 60 nm wide, were synthesized by a hydrothermal route and were electrophoretically deposited on a conducting substrate. Au nanoparticles and PEDOP were coated over WO3 to yield the PEDOP-Au@WO3 hybrid electrode. The inclusion of Au in the hybrid was confirmed by X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray analyses. The nanoscale electronic conductivity, coloration efficiency, and transmission contrast of the hybrid were found to be significantly greater than those of pristine WO3 and PEDOP. The hybrid showed a high specific discharge capacitance of 130 Fg(-1) during coloration, which was four and ten times greater than the capacitance achieved in WO3 or PEDOP, respectively. We also demonstrate the ability of the PEDOP-Au@WO3 hybrid, relative to pristine PEDOP, to perform as a superior counter electrode in a solar cell, which is attributed to a higher work function. The capacitance and redox switching capability of the hybrid decreases insignificantly with cycling, thus establishing the viability of this multifunction hybrid for next-generation sustainable devices such as electrochromic psuedocapacitors because it can concurrently conserve and store energy.