Electrochromic Iridium Oxides

The recent development of potential cycling procedures for producing relatively thick hydrous noble metal oxide layers, plus the introduction of sputtering techniques for laying down such films on other substrates such as conducting glass, has added an important new dimension to the study of noble metal oxidation. Differences in composition, apparent density and redox behaviour between the hydrous and anhydrous layers are discussed here with particular reference to the iridium oxide system. Commercial applications that may result from its electrochromic activity are also considered.