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

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Abstract

In the present work, cerium oxide nanorods were grown on fluorine-doped tin oxide substrates by the hydrothermal process with growth fluid concentrations from 0.06 to 0.09 M and maintaining the urea content constant at 0.5 M. Optimized tungsten oxide thin films were deposited on these hydrothermally grown cerium oxide nanorods by using DC sputtering process. The developed tungsten oxide-cerium oxide nanostructured hybrid films were characterized for their structural, morphological, optical, and electrochromic (EC) properties, by using various analytical techniques. It was observed that with the increase of growth fluid concentration, the cerium oxide nanorods (CeO2 NRs) become thinner and longer and decrement in transmittance. The highest diffusion coefficient (8.07 ×10−14 cm2/s) in the hybrid films formed with 0.08 M, and the highest coloration efficiency (13.88 cm2/C) in 0.06 M growth fluid concentrations was observed. The influence of CeO2 NRs on WO3 electrochemical performance observed in this study definitely helps in the selection of proper doping components and concentrations for power-saving optoelectronic devices.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank the Researchers Supporting Project number (RSP2023R169), King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia for the financial support.

Funding

The authors thank the Nitte Meenakshi Institute of Technology, Bengaluru, India for providing a seed money grant.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, Nitte Meenakshi Institute of Technology, Yelahanka, Bengaluru, Karnataka, 5600648, India

    G V Ashok Reddy, K Naveen Kumar & Sheik Abdul Sattar

  2. Center for Nanomaterials and MEMS, Nitte Meenakshi Institute of Technology, Yelahanka, Bengaluru, 560064, India

    K Naveen Kumar

  3. School of Mechanical Engineering, Yeungnam University, 280 Daehak-ro, Gyeongsan-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do, 38541, Republic of Korea

    Nunna Guru Prakash & Merum Dhananjaya

  4. Department of Physics, BMS Institute of Technology and Management, Doddaballapur Main Road, Avalahalli, Bengaluru, Karnataka, 560064, India

    B Daruka Prasad

  5. Department of Physics, REVA University, Kattigenahalli, Bengaluru, Karnataka, 560064, India

    G Ranjith Kumar

  6. Department of Physics, Sai Vidya Institute of Technology, Bengaluru, 560064, India

    H S Yogananda

  7. Department of Physics, Nagarjuna College of Engineering and Technology, Bengaluru, Karnataka, 562164, India

    Shirajahammad M Hunagund

  8. Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box 10219, Riyadh, 11433, Saudi Arabia

    Sabah Ansar

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Contributions

Ashok Reddy G V: investigation, methodology, and validation

K Naveen Kumar: conceptualization and methodology,

Sheik Abdul Sattar, Nunna Guru Prakash, Daruka Prasad B, Merum Dhananjaya, G Ranjith Kumar, H S Yogananda, Shirajahammad M Hunagund, and Sabah Ansar: investigation, methodology, and validation

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Ashok Reddy, G.V., Kumar, K.N., Sattar, S.A. et al. Structural, optical, and electrochromic properties of rare earth material (CeO2)/transitional metal oxide (WO3) thin film composite structure for electrochromic applications. Ionics 29, 3731–3742 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11581-023-05078-9

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