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Multifunctional smart windows are successfully fabricated by assembling inkjet printed CeO2/TiO2 and WO3/poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-poly(styrene sulfonate) films as the anode and cathode, respectively. Large optical modulation (more than 70% at 633 nm), fast switching (12.7/15.8 s), high coloration efficiency (108.9 cm2 C−1), and excellent bistability are achieved by the assembled smart windows. The multifunctional smart window not only can be used as typical electrochromic window, which can change its color to dynamically control the solar radiation transmittance through windows or protect privacy during the day, but also can be used as energy-storage device simultaneously. The designed smart window releases the stored energy to light the bulbs and power other electronic devices at night while its color gradually reverts to transparent state. Moreover, the level of stored energy can be monitored via the visually detectable reversible color variation of the window. The fascinating multifunctional smart windows exhibit promising features for a wide range of applications in buildings, airplanes, automobiles, etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, uniform NiO nanoparticles on different substrates were successfully synthesized by a simple and low-cost solvothermal method. The high capacitance (1386 F g −1 at 1 A g −1 ) and excellent rate capability were achieved for NiO nanoparticle film as supercapacitor electrode. A large optical modulation (63.6% at 550 nm), high coloration efficiency (42.8 cm 2 C −1 at 550 nm) and good cycling stability can be achieved when the same NiO nanoparticles are used for electrochromic application. The excellent electrochemical performance is attributed to the uniform nanoparticles morphology and stable chemical bonding of the NiO nanoparticle on the substrates, which shorten the ion diffusion length and greatly facilitated the charge transfer both at the contact interfaces and within the electrode materials during the electrochemical process. In addition, we present a smart supercapacitor which function as a regular energy storage device and simultaneously monitor the level stored energy by visual changes. The findings present great promise for NiO nanoparticle film as practical electrode materials as chromo-supercapacitor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a facile method to deposit fast growing electrochromic multilayer films with enhanced electrochemical properties using layer-by-layer (LbL) self-assembly of complex polyelectrolyte is demonstrated. Two linear polymers, poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) and polyethylenimine (PEI), are used to formulate stable complexes under specific pH to prepare polyaniline (PANI)/PAA-PEI multilayer films via LbL deposition. By introducing polymeric complexes as building blocks, [PANI/PAA-PEI]n films grow much faster compared with [PANI/PAA]n films, which are deposited under the same condition. Unlike the compact [PANI/PAA]n films, [PANI/PAA-PEI]n films exhibit porous structure that is beneficial to the electrochemical process and leads to improved electrochromic properties. An enhanced optical modulation of 30% is achieved with [PANI/PAA-PEI]30 films at 630 nm compared with the lower optical modulation of 11% measured from [PANI/PAA]30 films. The switching time of [PANI/PAA-PEI]30 films is only half of that of [PANI/PAA]30 films, which indicates a faster redox process. Utilizing polyelectrolyte complexes as building blocks is a promising approach to prepare fast growing LbL films for high performance electrochemical device applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porous polymeric layer‐by‐layer self‐assembled films with enhanced electrochromism are demonstrated by P. S. Lee and co‐workers on page 401 using polyaniline and polymeric complexes as building blocks. These films show fast growing behavior as well as enhanced optical modulation and fast switching speed. This image portrays the facilitated diffusion of ions into the porous films during the redox reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]