Preparation and electrochromic properties of WO 3 coating deposited by the sol–gel method

Abstract

WO 3 coatings were deposited by the sol–gel technique on microscope slide glass and ITO coated glass. These films were characterized optically, chemically, and structurally by XRD, spectrophotometry, DTA/TGA, SEM/EDAX, and RBS. Uniform films of WO 3 were dip coated on slide glass at a dipping speed of 5 mm/s. This sample indicated a low near infrared transmittance as a result of coloration using a 0.1 M HCl electrolyte as the H + ion source. Differential thermal analysis results have allowed the accurate determination of the formation temperature of the WO 3 crystalline phase from the gel data in the range of 380–500°C, consistent with the crystallization temperature of the sol–gel film. RBS spectrometry was performed on the uncolored sol–gel WO 3 film, yielding a chemical composition of WO 3.