Hydrothermally Processed TiO2 Nanowire Electrodes with Antireflective and Electrochromic Properties

Abstract

Dual functionalities of antireflective and electrochromic properties-based anatase TiO2 nanowire devices with a high-porosity cross-linked geometry directly grown onto transparent conductive glass was achieved for the first time through a simple one-step hydrothermal process under mild alkali conditions. Devices fashioned from these TiO2 nanowires were found to display enhanced optical transparency in the visible range, better color contrast, and faster color-switching time in comparison to devices made from nanoparticles. These improvements can be attributed to the low refractive index and high porosity of the TiO2 nanowires and their larger accessible surface area for Li� intercalation and deintercalation, leading to enhanced capabilities for transparent electrochromic smart windows.