ELECTROCHROMIC GLASS FROM SOLUTIONS OF METAL EXTRACTS

Thin films for electrochromic cells have been manufactured by wet technique. We used the extraction-pyrolysis method which consists in the extraction of meaningful components from aqueous solutions of inorganic salts with following mixing of the liquid extracts in the set ratio and deposition of metals extracts (In, Sn, Ni) on glass with subsequent thermal decomposition of wet films. The wetting-pyrolysis cycles are repeated several times for obtaining the set films thickness. An electrochromic cell includes a transparent conductive In2O3 / SnO2 (indium tin oxide, ITO) film on glass and the electrochromic film NiO on ITO–glass as electrodes and liquid electrolyte. The resulting NiO electrochromic electrode combined with the counter-electrode in the presence of quasi-solid electrolyte withstood more than 500 cycles of discolouration–staining without changing the intensity of the colour.