Three-Electrode Electrochromic Energy Storage Devices with Enhanced Multicolor Functionality

Ming-Yue Tan; Pei-Ling Low; Gregory Soon How Thien; Kar Ban Tan; Yun Ii Go; Jingsong Huang; Kah Yoong Chan

doi:10.3390/mi17091020

Three-Electrode Electrochromic Energy Storage Devices with Enhanced Multicolor Functionality

Ming-Yue Tan
, Pei-Ling Low
, Gregory Soon How Thien
, Kar Ban Tan
, Yun Ii Go
, Jingsong Huang
, Kah Yoong Chan

School of Engineering & Physical Sciences

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Electrochromic (EC) technology has garnered attention for its low energy consumption and aesthetic versatility. Among various EC materials, tungsten trioxide (WO₃) is notable for its high optical contrast, durability, and coloration efficiency. However, its single-color output limits its versatility in applications such as multicolor displays and windows. In addition, conventional complementary EC devices require the pairing of anodic and cathodic materials, restricting independent control of redox reactions on the electrodes. Hence, this study introduced a three-electrode EC energy storage device with various configurations: vanadium oxide/zinc/vanadium oxide (V₂O₅/Zn/V₂O₅) (energy status indicator) and V₂O₅/Zn/WO₃ (energy storage window and multicolor display). This design allowed independent redox control on both electrodes, enhanced multicolor functionality through V₂O₅, and incorporated zinc metal for efficient energy storage and discharge-induced coloration. The study revealed that V₂O₅/Zn/V₂O₅ configuration exhibited higher coloration depth (58.92% for orange, 32% for yellow-green, and 10.65% for blue) across all color states while achieving a high energy storage capacity of 185 mAh/m², making it ideal for energy status indicator applications. Conversely, the V₂O₅/Zn/WO₃ structure achieved a significantly higher optical contrast of 77.86%, excellent coloration efficiency of 46.24 cm²/C, and energy storage capacities of 104.8 mAh/m² (V₂O₅) and 142 mAh/m² (WO₃), making it suitable for multicolor energy storage windows. Additionally, the V₂O₅/Zn/WO₃ configuration demonstrated suitability for multicolor display applications. Overall, these three-electrode EC energy storage architectures address the intrinsic color limitations and redox control constraints of conventional devices, enabling high-capacity, tunable multicolor operation with significant potential for integration into advanced smart windows, energy indicators, and adaptive display technologies.

Original language	English
Article number	1020
Journal	Micromachines
Volume	17
Issue number	9
Early online date	27 Aug 2026
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3390/mi17091020
Publication status	Published - Sept 2026

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 7 Affordable and Clean Energy

Keywords

electrochromic
multicolor
energy storage

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title = "Three-Electrode Electrochromic Energy Storage Devices with Enhanced Multicolor Functionality",

abstract = "Electrochromic (EC) technology has garnered attention for its low energy consumption and aesthetic versatility. Among various EC materials, tungsten trioxide (WO3) is notable for its high optical contrast, durability, and coloration efficiency. However, its single-color output limits its versatility in applications such as multicolor displays and windows. In addition, conventional complementary EC devices require the pairing of anodic and cathodic materials, restricting independent control of redox reactions on the electrodes. Hence, this study introduced a three-electrode EC energy storage device with various configurations: vanadium oxide/zinc/vanadium oxide (V2O5/Zn/V2O5) (energy status indicator) and V2O5/Zn/WO3 (energy storage window and multicolor display). This design allowed independent redox control on both electrodes, enhanced multicolor functionality through V2O5, and incorporated zinc metal for efficient energy storage and discharge-induced coloration. The study revealed that V2O5/Zn/V2O5 configuration exhibited higher coloration depth (58.92\% for orange, 32\% for yellow-green, and 10.65\% for blue) across all color states while achieving a high energy storage capacity of 185 mAh/m2, making it ideal for energy status indicator applications. Conversely, the V2O5/Zn/WO3 structure achieved a significantly higher optical contrast of 77.86\%, excellent coloration efficiency of 46.24 cm2/C, and energy storage capacities of 104.8 mAh/m2 (V2O5) and 142 mAh/m2 (WO3), making it suitable for multicolor energy storage windows. Additionally, the V2O5/Zn/WO3 configuration demonstrated suitability for multicolor display applications. Overall, these three-electrode EC energy storage architectures address the intrinsic color limitations and redox control constraints of conventional devices, enabling high-capacity, tunable multicolor operation with significant potential for integration into advanced smart windows, energy indicators, and adaptive display technologies.",

keywords = "electrochromic, multicolor, energy storage",

author = "Ming-Yue Tan and Pei-Ling Low and Thien, \{Gregory Soon How\} and Tan, \{Kar Ban\} and Go, \{Yun Ii\} and Jingsong Huang and Chan, \{Kah Yoong\}",

year = "2026",

month = sep,

doi = "10.3390/mi17091020",

language = "English",

volume = "17",

journal = "Micromachines",

issn = "2072-666X",

publisher = "MDPI",

number = "9",

}

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T1 - Three-Electrode Electrochromic Energy Storage Devices with Enhanced Multicolor Functionality

AU - Tan, Ming-Yue

AU - Low, Pei-Ling

AU - Thien, Gregory Soon How

AU - Tan, Kar Ban

AU - Go, Yun Ii

AU - Huang, Jingsong

AU - Chan, Kah Yoong

PY - 2026/9

Y1 - 2026/9

N2 - Electrochromic (EC) technology has garnered attention for its low energy consumption and aesthetic versatility. Among various EC materials, tungsten trioxide (WO3) is notable for its high optical contrast, durability, and coloration efficiency. However, its single-color output limits its versatility in applications such as multicolor displays and windows. In addition, conventional complementary EC devices require the pairing of anodic and cathodic materials, restricting independent control of redox reactions on the electrodes. Hence, this study introduced a three-electrode EC energy storage device with various configurations: vanadium oxide/zinc/vanadium oxide (V2O5/Zn/V2O5) (energy status indicator) and V2O5/Zn/WO3 (energy storage window and multicolor display). This design allowed independent redox control on both electrodes, enhanced multicolor functionality through V2O5, and incorporated zinc metal for efficient energy storage and discharge-induced coloration. The study revealed that V2O5/Zn/V2O5 configuration exhibited higher coloration depth (58.92% for orange, 32% for yellow-green, and 10.65% for blue) across all color states while achieving a high energy storage capacity of 185 mAh/m2, making it ideal for energy status indicator applications. Conversely, the V2O5/Zn/WO3 structure achieved a significantly higher optical contrast of 77.86%, excellent coloration efficiency of 46.24 cm2/C, and energy storage capacities of 104.8 mAh/m2 (V2O5) and 142 mAh/m2 (WO3), making it suitable for multicolor energy storage windows. Additionally, the V2O5/Zn/WO3 configuration demonstrated suitability for multicolor display applications. Overall, these three-electrode EC energy storage architectures address the intrinsic color limitations and redox control constraints of conventional devices, enabling high-capacity, tunable multicolor operation with significant potential for integration into advanced smart windows, energy indicators, and adaptive display technologies.

AB - Electrochromic (EC) technology has garnered attention for its low energy consumption and aesthetic versatility. Among various EC materials, tungsten trioxide (WO3) is notable for its high optical contrast, durability, and coloration efficiency. However, its single-color output limits its versatility in applications such as multicolor displays and windows. In addition, conventional complementary EC devices require the pairing of anodic and cathodic materials, restricting independent control of redox reactions on the electrodes. Hence, this study introduced a three-electrode EC energy storage device with various configurations: vanadium oxide/zinc/vanadium oxide (V2O5/Zn/V2O5) (energy status indicator) and V2O5/Zn/WO3 (energy storage window and multicolor display). This design allowed independent redox control on both electrodes, enhanced multicolor functionality through V2O5, and incorporated zinc metal for efficient energy storage and discharge-induced coloration. The study revealed that V2O5/Zn/V2O5 configuration exhibited higher coloration depth (58.92% for orange, 32% for yellow-green, and 10.65% for blue) across all color states while achieving a high energy storage capacity of 185 mAh/m2, making it ideal for energy status indicator applications. Conversely, the V2O5/Zn/WO3 structure achieved a significantly higher optical contrast of 77.86%, excellent coloration efficiency of 46.24 cm2/C, and energy storage capacities of 104.8 mAh/m2 (V2O5) and 142 mAh/m2 (WO3), making it suitable for multicolor energy storage windows. Additionally, the V2O5/Zn/WO3 configuration demonstrated suitability for multicolor display applications. Overall, these three-electrode EC energy storage architectures address the intrinsic color limitations and redox control constraints of conventional devices, enabling high-capacity, tunable multicolor operation with significant potential for integration into advanced smart windows, energy indicators, and adaptive display technologies.

KW - electrochromic

KW - multicolor

KW - energy storage

U2 - 10.3390/mi17091020

DO - 10.3390/mi17091020

M3 - Article

SN - 2072-666X

VL - 17

JO - Micromachines

JF - Micromachines

IS - 9

M1 - 1020

ER -

Three-Electrode Electrochromic Energy Storage Devices with Enhanced Multicolor Functionality

Abstract

UN SDGs

Keywords

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