Dr Behnam Akhavan's plasma. Credit: Dr Behnam Akhavan

When you change the transparency of a wearable electronic or a smart window, an electrochromic device is doing the work, said Dr Akhavan.

Until now, these devices have typically relied on materials like rare indium to do the job. What we have created is a manufacturers dream: a technology that removes the need for indium and instead uses a plasma-engineered, three-layered structure that is much cheaper to produce.

Early iterations of the technology were produced for the first time in 2019, using a new method of tungsten oxide deposition known as HiPIMS (the plasma technology used to create these materials). Now, instead of a bare tungsten oxide layer, the group has developed a nanocomposite of tungsten oxide and silver. This nanotechnology-enabled approach allows electrochromic devices to efficiently and rapidly change colour upon a users request.

The plasma coatings are transparent and also electrically conductive. They are made up of a layer of silver that is approximately 10,000 times thinner than the width of human hair, placed in between two nano-thin layers of tungsten oxide decorated with silver nanoparticles.

These plasma-fabricated coatings can then be applied to electronic papers, smart phones and glass windows and can be dimmed with the application of a small electrical current.

DECLARATION

There are no conflicts of interest to share. The research was funded by the University of Sydney and the Australian Research Council.

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Plasma tech could replace one of world's rarest materials - News - The University of Sydney