Enhanced lithium electrochromic performance of tungsten oxide films by rapid co-synthesis of iron and tantalum oxides using cold atmospheric pressure plasma polymerization

Abstract

Lithium electrochromic performance of organo-tungsten oxynitride (WOz1Cz2Nz3) films enhanced by additions of organo-iron oxynitride (FeOz1Cz2Nz3) or organo-tantalum oxynitride (TaOz1Cz2Nz3) with an atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ) by a rapid deposition onto 60 Ω/square flexible polyethylene terephthalate (PET)/indium tin oxide (ITO) substrate at a short exposed duration of 54 s has been investigated. Flexible organo-tungsten-iron-tantalum oxynitride (WFexTayOz1Cz2Nz3) film possesses the significant Li+ ionic electrochromic performance, even though after being bent 360° around a 2.5-cm diameter rod for 1000 times and tested for 200 cycles of reversible Li+ ion intercalation and de-intercalation in a 1 M LiClO4-propylene carbonate electrolyte respectively by the potential sweep switching from the potential 2 V to − 1 V at a scan rate of − 40 mV/s and from the potential − 1 V to 2 V at a scan rate of 40 mV/s and by the potential step altering at the potential − 1 V for 20 s and the potential 2 V for 30 s, respectively. Li+ ionic intercalated charge of up to 13.2 mC/cm2 and optical modulation of up to 64.8% at a wavelength of 850 nm are proven for WFexTayOz1Cz2Nz3 film, respectively.