An efficient route to a porous NiO/reduced graphene oxide hybrid film with highly improved electrochromic properties

A porous NiO/RGO hybrid film is prepared by the combination of electrophoretic deposition and chemical-bath deposition. The porous hybrid film exhibits a noticeable electrochromism with reversible color changes from transparent to dark brown, and shows high coloration efficiency (76 cm(2) C(-1)), fast switching speed (7.2 s and 6.7 s) and better cycling performance compared with the porous NiO thin film. The enhancement of electrochromic performances are attributed to the reinforcement of the electrochemical activity of the RGO sheets and the greater amount of open space in the porous hybrid film which allows the electrolyte to penetrate and shorten the proton diffusion paths within the bulk of NiO.