Electrochromic device containing metal oxide nanoparticles and ultraviolet blocking material

An electrochromic device, comprising:

• a first transparent conductor layer;
• a working electrode comprising:
• a nanostructured transition metal oxide bronze layer comprising one or more transition metal oxide and one or more dopant species;
• a solid state electrolyte layer;
• a counter electrode layer;
• a second transparent conductor layer;
• and
• at least one protective layer configured to reduce degradation of the nanostructured transition metal oxide bronze layer due to ultraviolet (UV) radiation;
• wherein the nanostructured transition metal oxide bronze layer comprises a plurality of transition metal oxide bronze nanoparticles, wherein a first portion of the plurality of transition metal oxide bronze nanoparticles have a cubic unit cell lattice structure, and wherein a second portion of the plurality of transition metal oxide bronze nanoparticles have a hexagonal unit cell lattice structure;
• wherein the working electrode further comprises at least one of indium oxide or zinc oxide based UV radiation absorbing nanoparticles, and wherein:
• the first portion of the plurality of transition metal oxide bronze nanoparticles comprises 40 to 70 wt % of all nanoparticles in the working electrode;
• the second portion of the plurality of transition metal oxide bronze nanoparticles comprises 15 to 35 wt % of all nanoparticles in the working electrode;
• and
• the UV radiation absorbing nanoparticles comprise 15 to 35 wt % of all nanoparticles in the working electrode.

An electrochromic device, comprising:

• a first transparent conductor layer;
• a working electrode comprising:
• a nanostructured transition metal oxide bronze layer comprising one or more transition metal oxide and one or more dopant species;
• a solid state electrolyte layer;
• a counter electrode layer;
• a second transparent conductor layer;
• and
• at least one protective layer configured to reduce degradation of the nanostructured transition metal oxide bronze layer due to ultraviolet (UV) radiation;
• wherein:
• the at least one protective layer comprises a UV radiation absorbing material;
• the UV radiation absorbing material comprises at least one of indium(III) oxide (In2O3), zinc(II) oxide (ZnO), indium tin oxide (ITO), aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO), and an organic material;
• the UV radiation absorbing material comprises one or more UV radiation absorbing layer;
• and
• the one or more UV radiation absorbing layer comprises at least one of:
• a layer of the UV radiation absorbing material disposed on an opposite side of the first transparent conductor layer from the working electrode;
• and
• a layer of the UV radiation absorbing material located between the nanostructured transition metal oxide bronze layer and the first transparent conductor layer.