Electrochromic device demonstrator from household materials

Rozman, Martin (author), Alif, Mojca (author), Bren, Urban (author), Lukšič, Miha (author)

Electrochromism encompasses reversible changes of material’s optical properties (color, opacity) under the influence of an external electric current or applied voltage. The effect has been known for decades, but its importance continues to grow due to the rapid development of smart systems and the accompanying demand to build devices that consume less power. Most commercial electrochromic devices (ECDs) require sophisticated chemicals and advanced material preparation techniques. Also, the demonstration of electrochromism in chemistry classes mainly uses expensive WO$_3$ films, intrinsically conductive polymers, and/or optically transparent electrodes (OTEs). The aim of this article is to present a simple and fast educational method to build ECDs from household materials without the need for OTEs: unsharpened kitchen knives are used as electrodes, curcumin from turmeric is used as the electrochromic dye, and baking soda is used as the electrolyte. The laboratory experiments presented will help students gain a deeper understanding of the fundamentals of electrochemistry (electrolysis, pH change) and electrochromism (in our case, color changes due to pH-induced keto-enol tautomerism of curcumin).

• Language: English
• Keywords: general public, high school chemistry, introductory chemistry, demonstrations, interdisciplinarity, hands-on learning, manipulatives, electrochromism, electrochromic device, electrochemistry, pH, dyes, pigments, batteries, color, electrodes, materials, students
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FKKT - Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2022
• Number of pages: Str. 3595–3600
• Numbering: Vol. 99, iss. 10
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-141987
• UDC: 544.164.032.52:37.091.33
• ISSN on article: 0021-9584
• DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.2c00176
• COBISS.SI-ID: 122810115
• Publication date in RUL: 13.10.2022

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Journal of chemical education
• Shortened title: J. chem. educ.
• Publisher: American Chemical Society, Division of Chemical Education
• ISSN: 0021-9584
• COBISS.SI-ID: 1459717

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: elektrokromizem, kemijsko izobraževanje