Highly Reversible Electrochemical Insertion of Lithium, Accompanied With a Marked Color Change, Occuring in Microcrystalline Lithium Nickel Oxide Films

Abstract

Thin films of lithium-nickel oxide, whose texture consists of microcrystallites with an average grain size of 50 Å, permit highly reversible electrochemical insertion of lithium ions in Li+ conducting electrolytes. Therefore, the corresponding materials would be of great interest for energy storage applications. In addition, the lithium insertion/extraction reactions in the nickel-based layers are accompanied with a marked color change, making these films of interest for the development of electrochromic displays for the control of light transmission in windows (“smart windows”).