Engineering the Structure–Performance Relationship of WO3 Thin Films Through PVP–Mn Synergy for Electrochromic Applications
- 1School of Chemical Engineering, Yeungnam University, 280 Daehak-ro, Gyeongsan 38541, Republic of Korea
- 2Department of Chemistry, KIT-Kalaignar Karunanidhi Institute of Technology (Autonomous), Coimbatore 641402, Tamil Nadu, India
- 3Advanced Functional Materials Laboratory, Department of Orthodontics, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Chennai 600077, Tamil Nadu, India
Abstract
The electrochromic (EC) behavior of tungsten oxide (WO3) is strongly influenced by its nanoscale architecture and local chemical environment, which determine the efficiency of ion–electron transport during switching. Here, a systematic polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)–Manganese (Mn) synergistic engineering approach was developed using bare WO3 (WO), PVP-assisted WO3 (P-WO), Mn-doped WO3 (Mn-WO), and PVP-assisted Mn-doped WO3 (P-Mn-WO) to clarify the individual and combined effects of PVP and Mn on EC performance. All films retained the amorphous WO3 structure, while morphological evolution revealed a transition from compact nanoparticle assemblies to an interconnected porous architecture in P-Mn-WO. The optimized P-Mn-WO film exhibited enhanced Li+ transport, with diffusion coefficients of 0.45 × 10−10 and 4.08 × 10−10 cm2/s for oxidation and reduction, respectively. This favorable transport environment enabled 75.8% optical modulation at 635 nm, a coloration efficiency of 142.63 cm2/C, and 92.59% charge reversibility, with only 5.24% degradation during repeated switching. At the device level, P-Mn-WO delivered 82.30% bleached transmittance, 12.02% colored transmittance, and 70.28% optical modulation, while showing only 4.5% degradation over 2000 s of continuous operation. These results demonstrate that coupling PVP-assisted growth with Mn doping provides effective control over WO3 morphology, Li+ transport, charge utilization, and optical switching, establishing a promising route toward a durable, high-contrast WO3-based EC smart-window.
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BibTeX
@article{morankar2026engineering,
title = {{Engineering the Structure–Performance Relationship of WO3 Thin Films Through PVP–Mn Synergy for Electrochromic Applications}},
author = {Pritam J. Morankar and Sureshkumar Kandhasamy and Thamaraiselvi Kanagaraj and Chan-Wook Jeon},
journal = {Polymers},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3390/polym18202542},
url = {https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/18/20/2542},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Engineering the Structure–Performance Relationship of WO3 Thin Films Through PVP–Mn Synergy for Electrochromic Applications
AU - Pritam J. Morankar
AU - Sureshkumar Kandhasamy
AU - Thamaraiselvi Kanagaraj
AU - Chan-Wook Jeon
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/01
JO - Polymers
DO - 10.3390/polym18202542
UR - https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/18/20/2542
AB - The electrochromic (EC) behavior of tungsten oxide (WO3) is strongly influenced by its nanoscale architecture and local chemical environment, which determine the efficiency of ion–electron transport during switching. Here, a systematic polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)–Manganese (Mn) synergistic engineering approach was developed using bare WO3 (WO), PVP-assisted WO3 (P-WO), Mn-doped WO3 (Mn-WO), and PVP-assisted Mn-doped WO3 (P-Mn-WO) to clarify the individual and combined effects of PVP and Mn on EC performance. All films retained the amorphous WO3 structure, while morphological evolution revealed a transition from compact nanoparticle assemblies to an interconnected porous architecture in P-Mn-WO. The optimized P-Mn-WO film exhibited enhanced Li+ transport, with diffusion coefficients of 0.45 × 10−10 and 4.08 × 10−10 cm2/s for oxidation and reduction, respectively. This favorable transport environment enabled 75.8% optical modulation at 635 nm, a coloration efficiency of 142.63 cm2/C, and 92.59% charge reversibility, with only 5.24% degradation during repeated switching. At the device level, P-Mn-WO delivered 82.30% bleached transmittance, 12.02% colored transmittance, and 70.28% optical modulation, while showing only 4.5% degradation over 2000 s of continuous operation. These results demonstrate that coupling PVP-assisted growth with Mn doping provides effective control over WO3 morphology, Li+ transport, charge utilization, and optical switching, establishing a promising route toward a durable, high-contrast WO3-based EC smart-window.
SN - 2073-4360
ER -