Spin coated versus dip coated electrochromic tungsten oxide films: Structure, morphology, optical and electrochemical properties

A sol–gel derived acetylated peroxotungstic acid sol encompassing 4 wt.% of oxalic acid dihydrate (OAD) has been employed for the deposition of tungsten oxide (WO 3) films by spin coating and dip coating techniques, in view of smart window applications. The morphological and structural evolution of the as-deposited spin and dip coated films as a function of annealing temperature (250 and 500 °C) has been examined and compared by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). A conspicuous feature of the dip coated film (annealed at 250 °C) is that its electrochromic and electrochemical properties ameliorate with cycling without degradation in contrast to the spin coated film for which these properties deteriorate under repetitive cycling. A comparative study of spin and dip coated nanostructured thin films (annealed at 250 °C) revealed a superior performance for the cycled dip coated film in terms of higher transmission modulation and coloration efficiency in solar and photopic regions, faster switching speed, higher electrochemical activity as well as charge storage capacity. While the dip coated film could endure 2500 color–bleach cycles, the spin coated film could sustain only a 1000 cycles. The better cycling stability of the dip coated film which is a repercussion of a balance between optimal water content, porosity and grain size hints at its potential for electrochromic window applications.