title: Linear topology in amorphous metal oxide electrochromic networks obtained via low-temperature solution processing.
abstract: Amorphous transition metal oxides are recognized as leading candidates for electrochromic window coatings that can dynamically modulate solar irradiation and improve building energy efficiency. However, their thin films are normally prepared by energy-intensive sputtering techniques or high-temperature solution methods, which increase manufacturing cost and complexity. Here, we report on a room-temperature solution process to fabricate electrochromic films of niobium oxide glass (NbOx) and 'nanocrystal-in-glass' composites (that is, tin-doped indium oxide (ITO) nanocrystals embedded in NbOxglass) via acid-catalysed condensation of polyniobate clusters. A combination of X-ray scattering and spectroscopic characterization with complementary simulations reveals that this strategy leads to a unique one-dimensional chain-like NbOxstructure, which significantly enhances the electrochromic performance, compared to a typical three-dimensional NbOxnetwork obtained from conventional high-temperature thermal processing. In addition, we show how self-assembled ITO-in-NbOxcomposite films can be successfully integrated into high-performance flexible electrochromic devices.
authors.affiliation: The Molecular Foundry, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, California 94720, USA.|IKERBASQUE, The Basque Foundation for Science. CICenergiGUNE, Parque Tecnológico C/Albert Einstein 48 CP, 01510 Minano (Alava), Spain.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Llordés
authors.affiliation: McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, USA.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Univ. Grenoble Alpes, ISTerre, Grenoble 38041, France.|CNRS, ISTerre, Grenoble 38041, France.
authors.forename: Alejandro
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5073-9629
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fernandez-Martinez
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, USA.
authors.forename: Penghao
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.affiliation: The Molecular Foundry, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, California 94720, USA.|Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA.
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, 71 avenue des Martyrs, 38043 Grenoble, France.
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Poulain
authors.affiliation: McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, USA.
authors.forename: Omid
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Zandi
authors.affiliation: McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, USA.
authors.forename: Camila A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Saez Cabezas
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, USA.
authors.forename: Graeme
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Henkelman
authors.affiliation: The Molecular Foundry, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, California 94720, USA.|McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, USA.
authors.forename: Delia J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Milliron