Structural, optical, and electrochromic properties of rare earth material (CeO2)/transitional metal oxide (WO3) thin film composite structure for electrochromic applications

Abstract

The present work developed a simple hydrothermal process for the growing of cerium oxide (CeO 2 ) nanorods (NRs) on identical uorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) substrates, which does not require the use of a template. The sputter deposition was used to cover optimized tungsten oxide (WO 3 ) lms on the cerium oxide nanorod. The electrochromic device (ECD) was developed by depositing WO 3 thin lms at oxygen partial pressures (ppO 2 ) of 8×10 -4 mbar. The structural, morphological, optical, and Electrochromic (EC) properties of WO 3 lms on cerium oxide nanorods were characterised using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD), Raman spectroscopy (RS), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), optical transmittance studies, and cyclic voltammetry (CV) measurements, respectively. The diameters of the grown cerium oxide NRs are 917 ±85 nm, 721 ±115 nm, 596 ±56 nm, and 611 ±76 nm, and lengths are 0.911 ±0.16 µm, 1.121 ±0.121 µm, 1.157 ±1.101 µm, and 1.321 ±1.253 µm, respectively, Cerium nitrate hexahydrate concentration was raised from 0.06 M to 0.09 M while keeping the urea content constant at 0.5 M. The optical transmittance was varied with respect to the concentration of CeO 2 . Additionally, with a diffusion coe cient of 8.07 ×10 -14 cm 2 /s, the hybrid WO 3 / CeO 2 NRs lms have shown good electrochemical properties than pure WO 3 . According to electrochromic studies, 0.06 M lm had a colouration e ciency of 13.88 cm 2 /C. We hope that a better knowledge of the in uence of CeO 2 NRs on WO 3 electrochemical performance will able to select the proper doping components and concentrations for power-saving optoelectronic devices.