Strongly improved electrochemical cycling durability by adding iridium to electrochromic nickel oxide films

Anodically colored nickel oxide (NiO) thin films are of much interest as counter electrodes in tungsten oxide based electrochromic devices such as "smart windows" for energy-efficient buildings. However, NiO films are prone to suffering severe charge density degradation upon prolonged electrochemical cycling, which can lead to insufficient device lifetime. Therefore, a means to improve the durability of NiO-based films is an important challenge at present. Here we report that the incorporation of a modest amount of iridium into NiO films [Ir/(Ir + Ni) = 7.6 atom %] leads to remarkable durability, exceeding 10000 cycles in a lithium-conducting electrolyte, along with significantly improved optical modulation during extended cycling. Structure characterization showed that the face-centered-cubic-type NiO structure remained after iridium addition. Moreover, the crystallinity of these films was enhanced upon electrochemical cycling.