Rapidly Photocurable Solid-State Poly(ionic liquid) Ionogels For Thermally Robust and Flexible Electrochromic...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Electrochemistry

Background:

• In situ polymerization of ionogels improves electrolyte processability but often suffers from slow, oxygen-sensitive curing.
• Poly(ionic liquid)s (PILs) exhibit low oxygen solubility, presenting an opportunity for improved ionogel electrolytes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop rapidly photocured ionogels for high-performance electrolytes.
• To investigate the physicochemical and electrochemical stability of these novel ionogels.
• To demonstrate their application in advanced electrochromic devices (ECDs).

Main Methods:

• Formulation of two in situ polymerized ionogels (PIL A & PIL B) for rapid photocuring.
• Characterization of ionogel properties: transparency, stretchability, thermal, electrochemical, and air stability.
• Assembly and testing of ECDs using iron-centered coordination polymer (FeCP) and tungsten oxide (P-WO3) electrochromic materials.

Main Results:

• Rapid photocuring of ionogels achieved within one minute.
• Ionogels exhibited high transparency, stretchability, and excellent physicochemical stability.
• High-performance ECDs demonstrated high color contrast (45.2% and 56.4%), fast response times (1.5/1.9 s and 1.7/6.4 s), and cycling endurance (>90% over 3000 cycles).
• ECDs operated effectively over a wide temperature range (-20 to 100 °C).

Conclusions:

• The developed ionogels provide stable, processable electrolytes suitable for demanding applications.
• The rapid photocuring method overcomes previous limitations in ionogel electrolyte fabrication.
• Demonstrated potential for flexible and wearable electrochromic devices, including eye protectors and displays.