Electrochromic smart windows with co-intercalation of cations and anions for multi-band regulations

Abstract Electrochromic technology has been considered as an energy-efficient approach to reduce the energy consumption in buildings and vehicles. Studies of electrochromic devices (ECDs) have so far focused mainly on control of cations (for example, H+, Li+, Na+, K+, and Zn2+, etc), while anions we...

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Main Authors: Jiawei Sun, Zhe Chen, Renfu Zhang, Menghan Yin, Ying Zhu, Jiacheng Hu, Qinqi Zhou, Peipei Shao, Qingjiao Huang, Dongyun Ma, Rui-Tao Wen, Jinmin Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-07-01
Series:Nature Communications
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-61854-3
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author Jiawei Sun
Zhe Chen
Renfu Zhang
Menghan Yin
Ying Zhu
Jiacheng Hu
Qinqi Zhou
Peipei Shao
Qingjiao Huang
Dongyun Ma
Rui-Tao Wen
Jinmin Wang
author_facet Jiawei Sun
Zhe Chen
Renfu Zhang
Menghan Yin
Ying Zhu
Jiacheng Hu
Qinqi Zhou
Peipei Shao
Qingjiao Huang
Dongyun Ma
Rui-Tao Wen
Jinmin Wang
author_sort Jiawei Sun
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Electrochromic technology has been considered as an energy-efficient approach to reduce the energy consumption in buildings and vehicles. Studies of electrochromic devices (ECDs) have so far focused mainly on control of cations (for example, H+, Li+, Na+, K+, and Zn2+, etc), while anions were rarely considered. Here, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) provides direct evidence that the transformation of Prussian blue (PB) to Prussian green (PG) occurs due to an anion intercalation process, in addition to the cation intercalation-induced switching between PB and Prussian white (PW). Co-intercalation of cations and anions is found in an ECD combining Nb18W16O93 and PB as complementary electrochromic layers: cations (for example, K+) insertion into Nb18W16O93 leads to its colored state and anions (for example, Cl−) insertion into PB forms PG. Benefiting from the co-intercalation of both cations and anions, the Nb18W16O93/PB based ECD can achieve diverse color and spectral modulations while maintaining excellent performance retention, thanks to the charge balance design. The concept of co-intercalation of cations and anions in an ECD provides a new approach to the development of next-generation high-performance ECDs.
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spelling doaj-art-939964f8680b4bacb465f2cfdd974e702025-08-20T03:46:15ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-07-0116111010.1038/s41467-025-61854-3Electrochromic smart windows with co-intercalation of cations and anions for multi-band regulationsJiawei Sun0Zhe Chen1Renfu Zhang2Menghan Yin3Ying Zhu4Jiacheng Hu5Qinqi Zhou6Peipei Shao7Qingjiao Huang8Dongyun Ma9Rui-Tao Wen10Jinmin Wang11School of Materials and Chemistry, University of Shanghai for Science and TechnologySchool of Materials and Chemistry, University of Shanghai for Science and TechnologyDepartment of Materials Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and TechnologyDepartment of Materials Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and TechnologyDepartment of Materials Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and TechnologyDepartment of Materials Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and TechnologyDepartment of Materials Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and TechnologyDepartment of Materials Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and TechnologyDepartment of Materials Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and TechnologySchool of Materials and Chemistry, University of Shanghai for Science and TechnologyDepartment of Materials Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and TechnologySchool of Materials and Chemistry, University of Shanghai for Science and TechnologyAbstract Electrochromic technology has been considered as an energy-efficient approach to reduce the energy consumption in buildings and vehicles. Studies of electrochromic devices (ECDs) have so far focused mainly on control of cations (for example, H+, Li+, Na+, K+, and Zn2+, etc), while anions were rarely considered. Here, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) provides direct evidence that the transformation of Prussian blue (PB) to Prussian green (PG) occurs due to an anion intercalation process, in addition to the cation intercalation-induced switching between PB and Prussian white (PW). Co-intercalation of cations and anions is found in an ECD combining Nb18W16O93 and PB as complementary electrochromic layers: cations (for example, K+) insertion into Nb18W16O93 leads to its colored state and anions (for example, Cl−) insertion into PB forms PG. Benefiting from the co-intercalation of both cations and anions, the Nb18W16O93/PB based ECD can achieve diverse color and spectral modulations while maintaining excellent performance retention, thanks to the charge balance design. The concept of co-intercalation of cations and anions in an ECD provides a new approach to the development of next-generation high-performance ECDs.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-61854-3
spellingShingle Jiawei Sun
Zhe Chen
Renfu Zhang
Menghan Yin
Ying Zhu
Jiacheng Hu
Qinqi Zhou
Peipei Shao
Qingjiao Huang
Dongyun Ma
Rui-Tao Wen
Jinmin Wang
Electrochromic smart windows with co-intercalation of cations and anions for multi-band regulations
Nature Communications
title Electrochromic smart windows with co-intercalation of cations and anions for multi-band regulations
title_full Electrochromic smart windows with co-intercalation of cations and anions for multi-band regulations
title_fullStr Electrochromic smart windows with co-intercalation of cations and anions for multi-band regulations
title_full_unstemmed Electrochromic smart windows with co-intercalation of cations and anions for multi-band regulations
title_short Electrochromic smart windows with co-intercalation of cations and anions for multi-band regulations
title_sort electrochromic smart windows with co intercalation of cations and anions for multi band regulations
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-61854-3
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