Nanoporous nickel oxide thin films and its improved electrochromic performance: Effect of thickness

Abstract

Electrochromic properties of chemically bath deposited nanoporous NiO thin films were investigated as a function of film thickness using Ni sulphate precursor, aqueous ammonia and potassium persulphate as complexing and oxidizing agents respectively. The films were characterized for their structural, morphological, optical and electrochromic properties using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, FT-IR spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry and optical transmittance studies. X-ray diffraction patterns show that the films are polycrystalline, consisting of NiO cubic phase. Infrared spectroscopy results show the presence of free hydroxyl ion and water in NiO thin films. SEM micrographs revealed nanoporous nature composed of interconnected nanoporous network, forming well defined 3D nano envelopes. The optical band gap energy was found to be decreased from 3.22 to 2.80eV with increasing film thickness. The electrochromic properties of all the films were investigated in aqueous (KOH) and non aqueous (LiClO4-PC) electrolyte by means of cyclic voltammetry (CV), chronocoulometry (CC) and optical studies. The transmittance modulations or optical density differences during the coloring/bleaching process were found to be increased with the film thickness. This increment in optical differences led to an increase in coloration efficiency (CE) to about 95cm2/C, which is two times more than that observed in KOH and response time of 2.9s for bleaching (reduction) and 3.5s for coloration (oxidation) observed for the film deposited at 60min with excellent electrochemical stability up to 3000 c/b cycles in LiClO4-PC electrolyte.