Textile Based Three-Layer Robust Flexible and Stable Electrochromic Display

Abstract

The textile-based electrochromic (EC) display which has been developed and presented in this article, is very compact, robust, flexible, stable, efficient, economical, and inclined to biocompatibility. The developed textile display is having only three-layer over conventional seven layers patented electrochromic structures. It is also very efficient, as it can perform its functionality even after 2500 cycles of a run and 1500 times of bending. The innovative and simplified structure of the EC device has been developed with only 3 layers, including the displaying electrode, the electrolyte container, and the counter electrode. The conductive polymer PEDOT:PSS used here as a conductive and electrochromic material, is coated on the textile substrate to perform as one side of the electrode for the asymmetric arrangement of the electrochromic device. The experiment has also been done to find out the best possible textile fabric to serve as the optimal electrochromic container. The biocompatible H3PO4 gel drenched in the semi-permeable membrane has been used as an ion transfer medium for the electrochromic display. This biocompatible ion transfer medium is sandwiched in between the electrochromic displaying electrode (PEDOT:PSS coated on fabric) and aluminum sheet (counter electrode) for making this handmade crude electrochromic display. The investigation of the EC display functioning has been observed through cyclic voltammetry within the life cycle run. The performance of the device has also been investigated in real-life conditions, by providing just ±2.0 V DC power. The other possibility is shown in our article to deposit the PEDOT:PSS compound on the textile substrate was to coat directly the yarns and then to use them into the weaving process to produce the displaying electrode. By this technique, it would also be possible to develop hybrid displays made of structures containing knitted or woven side-emitting optical fibers and our electrochromic display structure, locally.