ELECTROCHROMIC AND PHOTOELECTROCHEMICAL BEHAVIOR OF THIN WO3 FILMS PREPARED FROM QUANTIZED COLLOIDAL PARTICLES

The electrochromic, photochromic and photoelectrochemical properties o f thin semiconductor WO3 films, prepared from quantum-size colloids, h ave been examined. These films have been found to exhibit reversible e lectrochromic and photochromic behavior (blue coloration). The trapped electrons in the particulate films are thought to be the major specie s responsible for the blue coloration. The photoelectrochemical measur ements have shown a very low conversion efficiency of WO3 particulate films. This is most probably due to the efficient trapping of electron s by the lattice defects in the film.