Electrochromic device

• US 20030072071A1
• Filed: 07/26/2002
• Published: 04/17/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nippon Oil Corporation (ENEOS Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Nippon Oil Corporation (ENEOS Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Asano, Tsuyoshi, Ohshima, Shinji, Nishikitani, Yoshinori
• Granted Patent: US 6,728,022 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/265
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 8/42 Introducing metal atoms or metal-containing groups
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1503 caused by oxidation-reduction reactions in organic liquid solutions, e.g. viologen solutions
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/15165 Polymers
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2001/15145 the electrochromic layer comprises a mixture of anodic and cathodic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2001/1518 Ferrocene compounds
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2001/164 the electrolyte is made of polymers

Abstract

An electrochromic device comprises an ion conductive layer containing an electrochromic polymer that has a bipyridine ion pair structure and a metallocene structure and/or a dihydroxyphenaizine structure. The device has low leakage current and reduced remnant coloration after a long time use.

Claims

1. An electrochromic device having an ion con conductive layer between a pair of electrically conductive substrates at least one of which is transparent wherein said ion conductive layer containing an electrochromic polymer which is a reaction product of a polymer having reactive groups and an organic compound having both a structure exhibiting cathodic electrochromic properties and a structure exhibiting anodic electrochromic properties and functional groups reactive to said reactive groups.

2. The electrochromic device according to claim 1 wherein said structure exhibiting cathodic electrochromic properties is a bipyridinium ion pair structure represented by formula (1) below and said structure exhibiting anodic electrochromic properties is a metallocene structure represented by formula (2) or (3) below:

3. The electrochromic device according to claim 1 wherein said structure exhibiting cathodic electrochromic properties is a bipyridinium ion pair structure represented by said formula and said structure exhibiting anodic electrochromic properties is a dihydrophenazine structure represented by one of formulae (4) through (7) below: