Reduced graphene oxide layered WO3 thin film with enhanced electrochromic properties.

The electrochromic (EC) properties of inorganic-organic hybrids of tungsten oxide/reduced graphene oxide (WO3/rGO) thin films were examined. Using hydrothermal method WO3 nanorods were deposited on a conducting Indium-doped tin oxide (ITO) glass substrate. In succession, the reduced graphene oxide thin film was coated on WO3 thin film using improved Hummers method. The structural, morphological, optical, and electrochromic responses of WO3, rGO, and WO3/rGO films are illustrated. Compared with pure WO3 film, WO3/rGO composite film demonstrates improved EC performance because of enhanced double insertion/extraction of ions and electrons. It realizes a large optical modulation (58.8% at 633 nm) with a significant increase in Coloration Efficiency (CE) and EC stability.

CdS-sensitized TiO2 nanocorals: hydrothermal synthesis, characterization, application.

Cadmium sulfide (CdS) nanoparticle-sensitized titanium oxide nanocorals (TNC) were synthesized using a two-step deposition process. The TiO(2) nanocorals were grown on the conducting glass substrates (FTO) using A hydrothermal process and CdS nanoparticles were loaded on TNC using successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) method. The TiO(2), CdS and TiO(2)-CdS samples were characterized by optical absorption, X-ray diffraction (XRD), FT-Raman, FT-IR, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and contact angle. Further, their photoelectrochemical (PEC) performance was tested in NaOH, Na(2)S-NaOH-S and Na(2)S electrolytes, respectively. When CdS nanoparticles are coated on TNCs, the optical absorption is found to be enhanced and band edge is red-shifted towards visible region. The TiO(2)-CdS sample exhibits improved photoelectrochemical (PEC) performance with maximum short circuit current of (J(sc)) 1.04 mA cm(-2). After applying these TiO(2)-CdS electrodes in photovoltaic cells, the photocurrent was found to be enhanced by 2.7 and 32.5 times, as compared with those of bare CdS and TiO(2) nanocorals films electrodes respectively. Also, the power conversion efficiency of TiO(2)-CdS electrodes is 0.72%, which is enhanced by about 16 and 29 times for TiO(2), CdS samples.