Reliable Information Encryption and Digital Display Applications Based on Multistate Smart Windows

Abstract

EC devices can be classified into following three types. [6,7] One of the most studied one involves conducting organic molecule based EC materials, which mainly contain conducting polymer and other conductive organic molecules. [8][9][10][11][12] These organic EC materials change their color mainly by modulating the composition of some functional groups through doping proton or other ions, thus resulting in their oxidized and reduced states. Another type includes the rare earths or their composites such as Mg-Zr-Ni alloy, which predominantly transforms between the reflective and transparent states through hydrogenation and de-hydrogenation. [13][14][15] The third group can be defined as metal element related EC materials including transition metal oxides, organometallic complexes, and metals. [16][17][18][19][20][21][22] This kind of EC materials change their optical properties by valence variation of the metal elements. Especially, the one based on several metals (Ag, Cu, Al, or Ni, etc.) modulate their optical properties by transforming their states between metal and metal ion. [3,6,7,[23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30] Among the aforementioned three EC devices, the reversible electrodepositing metal device (REMD) owns the advantages of facial fabrication, time saving, low-cost, and long-term stability. Moreover, the REMD exhibits short switching time, tunable transparency, good durability and chemical stability. [5] The optical modulation ability and other performance of REMD have been studied and improved by a series of researchers. Kobayashi and co-workers proposed the realization of the three optical states devices and multicolor tunable devices by adopting Ag based REMD. [6,23] Jeong et al. reported the black state of REMD can be largely improved via introducing 3D indium tin oxide (ITO) branches. [30] Park et al. has enhanced the ability to keep mirror state (smooth ITO side) by self-assembling thiol-terminated silane as connecting bridge between ITO glass and Ag particles. [26] Although the property of these multicolor devices has been explored a lot, the simultaneous enhancement of their black and mirror performance has not been achieved yet. Besides, the applications for efficiently using them are still rather limited. Thus, it is of great importance to explore the novel applications of the multicolor devices and broaden their functionalities. [25,[27][28][29][30] Herein, a multicolor state REMD based on Ag particles with excellent electrochromic performance was successfully fabricated. The device consists of a positive electrode which modified by a layer of thiol-terminated silane through A multistate smart window based on the reversible electrodepositing metal device (REMD) with excellent electrochromic performance is reported. A thiol-terminated silane modified indium tin oxide (ITO) glass acts as positive electrode and an ITO glass coated by ITO nanoparticles serves as negative electrode. The REMD can exhibit 4 different color states. Its mirror state presents a higher reflectance than the commercial ...

Reversible Metal Electrodeposition Devices: An Emerging Approach to Effective Light Modulation and Thermal Management

“…[17] Consequently, it is evident that the advent of such devices reveals the significant ability of RMEDs to modulate light fluxes, thereby facilitating their application in solar radiation modulation. [75][76][77][78][79]…”

“…Previous reports have shown that RMEDs have a great ability to effectively modulate visible and IR radiation; however, the achievement of the separate control of the radiation originating from different spectrum regions presents a difficult but fascinating issue in the future. Finally, RMED is bound to exhibit its potential in thermal camouflage and thermal management of buildings, spacecrafts, and human bodies, as well as in light modulation for decreasing the power consumption of buildings, increasing the in-door and in-vehicle comfort, visible camouflage, and even information encryption [78] and holography. [96,97]…”

Multifunctional Self‐Charging Electrochromic Supercapacitors Driven by Direct‐Current Triboelectric Nanogenerators

“…[ 5–10 ] Therefore, dual‐function devices have been reported to serve simultaneously as both electrochromic and energy storage devices. [ 11–14 ] In particular, electrochromic supercapacitors have been reported with excellent electrochemical performances and potentially real‐time indication of the energy level by their colors. [ 15,16 ] Moreover, the solar radiation transmittance can be modulated by electrochromic windows to control the room temperature, which is very promising for improving the energy efficiency of buildings.…”

Probing the Influence of Counter Electrode Structure on Electrochromic‐Device Operating Potentials and Performance Using Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy

“…Electrochromic materials (ECMs) attract the close attention of researchers due to their applications in "smart" windows, [1][2] antiglare mirrors [3] and other "smart" electrochromic devices (ECDs) such as charge-indicators for batteries [4] and in wearable technologies. [5][6][7] This is a result of the colour-changing phenomena that occur from redox reactions when a potential is applied.…”