Emerging Zn Anode-Based Electrochromic Devices

The development of electrochromic materials has opened the door to the development of numerous devices including smart windows, color displays, optical filters, wearable camouflages, among others. Although the current electrochromic devices do not consume energy while maintaining their colored or colorless states, their bistable operation requires external electrical energy to be consumed during switching. To reduce the energy consumption of an electrochromic device, an emerging Zn anode-based electrochromic device concept was recently introduced to partially retrieve the consumed electrical energy. In this Review, key technological developments and scientific challenges are presented for a broad range of Zn anode-based electrochromic device configurations with emphasis on the inherent distinctions between the Zn anode-based and conventional electrochromic devices. Specifically, a comprehensive comparison of the two classes of electrochromic devices in the high-performance device design is provided. For the electrochromic layer, the methods for obtaining high-quality electrochromic materials and thin films are reviewed. For the electrolytes, the effect of the dual ion system on the electrochromic performance is discussed. Also, some critical but unresolved issues in the device design and fabrication are discussed. The perspectives and outlook at the end of this Review provide recommendations to improve performance for future electrochromic studies.