Dependence of nanowire length, diameter, and concentration on the electrochromic properties of hybrid silver nanowire network/PEDOT:PSS-based devices.

Mixing silver nanowires is a relevant tool to increase the overall conductivity of hybrid electrochromic systems. Herein, the addition of silver nanowires with an average diameter of 30 nm, length of 88 um, and concentration of 3.0 mg/ml lowered the sheet resistance of PEDOT:PSS films from 280 Ω/sq to 34 Ω/sq. Further characterized for their electrochromic behavior, mixing silver nanowires with PEDOT:PSS films allowed lowering the turn-on voltage from -1.5 V to -1.1 V and reducing the switching time from 7 to 3.6 seconds. Furthermore, with the addition of silver nanowires into PEDOT:PSS, an expensive ITO transparent and environmentally impactful electrode material is no longer required. Electrochromic devices based on hybrid AgNW/PEDOT:PSS films showed higher colouration efficiency, lower sheet resistance, lower turn on voltage, and faster switching times as compared to electrochromic devices made with PEDOT:PSS films only.