Surface Modification of Nickel Oxide (II) Thin Films Obtained by Gas-Phase Deposition

Abstract

The technology of producing stable electrochromic anode nanocomposite thin film coatings based on nickel oxide (II) has been developed, which are used as active layers for modulating light flux in the manufacture of various technical devices. The method involves introduction of carbon nanoparticles (carbon-containing particles) into outer layers of nickel oxide (II) thin films obtained by gas-phase deposition under conditions of cathodic polarization in potentiostatic mode in aqueous media containing water-soluble hydroxylated fullerene derivatives - fullerenol С60(ОН)24, without change of their optical density in the initial state. The technology of the method realization allows to effectively change electrochromic properties of nickel oxide (II) thin films and to obtain a nanocomposite, which is a matrix of a thin layer of nickel oxide (II), doped with carbon nanoparticles, with increased contrast and having the ability to maintain a colored state after switching off polarization under open chain conditions for a long time without energy consumption in solution and in air, i.e., characterized by an “optical memory effect”.