Triple Layer Tungsten Trioxide, Graphene, and Polyaniline Composite Films for Combined Energy Storage and Electrochromic Applications

Abstract

Different polyaniline (PANI)-based hybrid films were successfully prepared by electro-polymerizing aniline monomers onto pre-spin-coated indium tin oxide (ITO) glass slides with WO3, graphene, or WO3/graphene films. Comparing with pristine PANI, the shifts of the characteristic peaks of PANI-based nanocomposites in UV-visible absorption spectra (UV-vis) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) indicate the chemical interaction between the PANI matrix and the nanofillers, which is also confirmed by the scanning electron microscope (SEM) images. Corresponding coloration efficiencies were obtained for the WO3/PANI (40.42 cm2 C−1), graphene/PANI (78.64 cm2 C−1), and WO3/graphene/PANI (67.47 cm2 C−1) films, higher than that of the pristine PANI film (29.4 cm2 C−1), suggesting positive effects of the introduced nanofillers on the electrochromic performance. The areal capacitances of the films were observed to increase following the order as bare WO3 < WO3/graphene < pristine PANI < WO3/PANI < graphene/PANI < WO3/graphene/PANI films from both the cyclic voltammogram (CV) and galvanostatic charge-discharge (GCD) results. The enhanced energy storage and electrochromic performances of the PANI-based nanocomposite films can be attributed to the capacitance contributions of the introduced nanofillers, increased PANI amount, and the rougher morphology due to the embedment of the nanofillers into the PANI matrix. This extraordinary energy storage and electrochromic performances of the WO3/graphene/PANI film make it a promising candidate for combined electrochromic and energy storage applications.