Hole doping in al-containing nickel oxide materials to improve electrochromic performance

Electrochromic materials exhibit switchable optical properties that can find applications in various fields, including smart windows, nonemissive displays, and semiconductors. High-performing nickel oxide electrochromic materials have been realized by controlling the material composition and tuning the nanostructural morphology. Post-treatment techniques could represent efficient and cost-effective approaches for performance enhancement. Herein, we report on a post-processing ozone technique that improves the electrochromic performance of an aluminum-containing nickel oxide material in lithium-ion electrolytes. The resulting materials were studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), ultraviolet-visible-near-infrared (UV-vis-NIR) spectroscopy, and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). It was observed that ozone exposure increased the Ni oxidation state by introducing hole states in the NiO₆ octahedral unit. In addition, ozone exposure gives rise to higher-performing aluminum-containing nickel oxide films, relative to nickel oxide containing both Al and Li, in terms of switching kinetics, bleached-state transparency, and optical modulation. The improved performance is attributed to the decreased crystallinity and increased nickel oxidation state in aluminum-containing nickel oxide electrochromic films. The present study provides an alternative route to improve electrochromic performance for nickel oxide materials.