Photochromic coloration of equimolar glasses was used to detect integrated proton currents through glass/electrolyte interfaces. It was found that the characteristic coloration time changed almost symmetrically when the external potential was inverted. This, together with the presence of electronic space charge fields (50 or 200V/cm) suggested that electrodiffusive effects predominated, but that changes in the interface barrier height for protons could also make a contribution. The zero-field proton diffusivity was estimated to be between 2 x 10-8 and 3 x 10-9cm2/s. The color centers in the glass matrix were suggested to be tungsten bronzes, HxWO3, in different environments. It was deduced, from the wavelength-dependence of the coloration time, that there were wide distributions of the binding and quantum energies of H trap sites. By using a theoretical calculation of the oscillator strength, the total trap density was estimated to be 1018/cm3.

W.Becker, P.Fröbel, J.Trost, K.Bärner: Journal of the Physics and Chemistry of Solids, 1990, 51[12], 1361-7