An electrochromic window was built using WO3 as electrochromic material and V20~ as counterelectrode. Both were deposited onto ITO-coated glass panes by vacuum evaporation and were amorphous to x-ray diffraction. The electrolyte was a lithium-conducting polymer consisting of a poly(ethylene oxide)-lithium salt complex. The electrochemical characterization of electrodes was realized by cyclic voltammetry, coulometric titration, and impedance spectroscopy, which allowed the determination of the chemical diffusion coefficients of lithium into WO3 and V2Q. Potentiostatic cycling of the complete transmissive cell yields to a transmission variation from 41 to 13% at 633 nm with a response time of 10s at room temperature.Over the last two decades, much work has been dedicated to the study of electrochromism for its possible application in electro-optical devices (1, 2). However, some major problems such as slow switching time or layer corrosion have been encountered. Nevertheless, the realization of energy-efficient windows emerged a few years ago as a new interesting application in that field (3,4). In this latter kind of device, a response time of approximately 1 rain, easily attainable, is sufficient, and the memory effect provided by the electrochemical reaction is of great interest.Many insertion materials, e.g., metal transition oxides, exhibit electrochromic properties when deposited in thin films. Their optical properties are modified by electrochemical insertion of alkali cations or protons. The corresponding reaction can be written as
yA + + ye-+ MO= --~ AyMO=Tungsten trioxide has been the most investigated electrochromic material (5, 6) and without any doubt is one of the most promising with respect to its electrochromic properties. Both proton and lithium insertion are possible. Although the chemical diffusion coefficient ofH § in WO3 is higher than that of Li § (7), it seems easier to realize a complete transmissive electrochromic device with lithium conductors than with protonic ones, as hydrogen gassing and layer corrosion in acid media are potential drawbacks in the protic system.Polymer electrolytes have been widely studied during the last ten years for high energy secondary solid-state batteries (8, 9). Their use in electrochromic devices is suitable since they can be fabricated as thin elastOmeric films, and do not present problems of leakage encountered with liquid electrolytes. Polyethylene oxide (PEO) complexes exhibit conductivities higher than 10 -5 ~-' cm -1 with both lithium and proton conduction (10, 11), giving rise to a fast switching time.Whereas the electrochromic material and a solid electrolyte are available, a suitable transparent counterelectrode is still to be found. Two different types of counterelectrode can be considered. It may be transparent in both oxidized and reduced states, but a "rocking chair" counterelectrode occurring at the same time as the electrochromic electrode may also be envisaged. In this case, the counterelectrode will color anodically if WO3 is used as ...