Nanocrystalline metal oxide films and associated devices comprising the same

• US 20060209382A1
• Filed: 03/16/2005
• Published: 09/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Inventors: Nemes, Joel C., Lin, Rongguang
• Granted Patent: US 7,372,609 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/265
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1516 comprising organic material

Abstract

A nanoporous-nanocrystalline film, comprising a nanoporous-nanocrystalline, semi-conducting metal oxide having a redox active material or redox chromophore attached thereto, wherein the redox active material or redox chromophore comprises at least one of an isocyanate, a silane, and a siloxane attachment promoting moiety.

Claims

1. A nanoporous-nanocrystalline film, comprising:

a nanoporous-nanocrystalline, semi-conducting metal oxide having a redox active material or redox chromophore attached thereto, wherein the redox active material or redox chromophore comprises at least one of an isocyanate, a silane, and a siloxane attachment promoting moiety.

2. The nanoporous-nanocrystalline film according to claim 1, wherein the redox chromophore comprises a cathodic material.

3. The nanoporous-nanocrystalline film according to claim 2, wherein the redox chromophore comprises an isocyanate attachment promoting moiety.

4. The nanoporous-nanocrystalline film according to claim 2, wherein the redox chromophore comprises a silane attachment promoting moiety.

5. The nanoporous-nanocrystalline film according to claim 2, wherein the redox chromophore comprises a siloxane attachment promoting moiety.

6. The nanoporous-nanocrystalline film according to claim 2, wherein the redox chromophore comprises a viologen.

7. The nanoporous-nanocrystalline film according to claim 6, wherein the redox chromophore comprises a viologen having an isocyanate attachment promoting moiety.

8. The nanoporous-nanocrystalline film according to claim 6, wherein the redox chromophore comprises a viologen having a silane attachment promoting moiety.

9. The nanoporous-nanocrystalline film according to claim 6, wherein the redox chromophore comprises a viologen having a siloxane attachment promoting moiety.

10. The nanoporous-nanocrystalline film according to claim 1, wherein the redox chromophore comprises an anodic material.

11. The nanoporous-nanocrystalline film according to claim 10, wherein the redox chromophore comprises an isocyanate attachment promoting moiety.

12. The nanoporous-nanocrystalline film according to claim 10, wherein the redox chromophore comprises a silane attachment promoting moiety.

13. The nanoporous-nanocrystalline film according to claim 10, wherein the redox chromophore comprises a siloxane attachment promoting moiety.

14. The nanoporous-nanocrystalline film according to claim 1, wherein the redox chromophore comprises a compound represented by the following formula:

wherein X comprises a charge balancing ion; and

wherein R₁-R₁₀ are the same or different and comprise H, a hydroxy-group, an isocyanate, a straight or branched alkyl, cycloalkyl, polycycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl, alkaryl, aralkyl, alkoxy, alkenyl, alkynyl group containing approximately 1 to approximately 50 carbon atom(s), a silyl or siloxyl group containing approximately 1 to approximately 50 silicon atom(s), with the provisio that at least one of R₁-R₁₀ comprises at least one of an isocyanate, a silane, and a siloxane attachment promoting moiety.

15. The nanoporous-nanocrystalline film according to claim 1, wherein the redox chromophore comprises a compound represented by the following formula:

16. The nanoporous-nanocrystalline film according to claim 1, wherein the redox chromophore comprises a compound represented by the following formula:

17. The nanoporous-nanocrystalline film according to claim 1, wherein the metal oxide comprises an oxide of a metal selected from at least one of chromium, hafnium, indium, iron (Fe²⁺ or Fe³⁺), molybdenum, nickel, niobium, silver, strontium, tantalum, tin, titanium, tungsten, vanadium, zinc, zirconium, perovskites, and un-doped or doped combinations thereof.

18. An electrochromic device, comprising:

a first electrode comprising a first substrate having an electrically conductive material associated therewith and a nanoporous-nanocrystalline film according to claim 1;

a second electrode comprising a second substrate having an electrically conductive material associated therewith; and

an electrochemical medium contained within a chamber positioned between the first and second substrates.

19. The electrochromic device according to claim 18, further comprising a redox buffer.

20. The electrochromic device according to claim 18, wherein the device comprises an electrochromic window.

21. The electrochromic device according to claim 18, wherein the second substrate is plated with a reflective material.

22. The electrochromic device according to claim 21, wherein the device comprises an electrochromic mirror.

23. A solar cell, comprising:

a first electrode comprising a first substrate having an electrically conductive material associated therewith and a nanoporous-nanocrystalline film according to claim 1;

a second electrode comprising a second substrate having an electrically conductive material associated therewith; and

an electrochemical medium contained within a chamber positioned between the first and second substrates.

24. A nanoporous-nanocrystalline film, comprising:

a nanoporous-nanocrystalline, semi-conducting metal oxide having a redox chromophore attached thereto, wherein the redox chromophore comprises a compound represented by the following formula;

wherein X comprises a charge balancing ion; and

wherein R₁-R₁₀ are the same or different and comprise H, a hydroxy group, an isocyanate, a straight or branched alkyl, cycloalkyl, polycycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl, alkaryl, aralkyl, alkoxy, alkenyl, alkynyl group containing approximately 1 to approximately 50 carbon atom(s), a silyl or siloxyl group containing approximately 1 to approximately 50 silicon atom(s), with the provisio that at least one of R₁-R₁₀ comprises at least one of an isocyanate, a silane, and a siloxane attachment promoting moiety.

25. The nanoporous-nanocrystalline film according to claim 24, wherein the metal oxide comprises an oxide of a metal selected from at least one of chromium, hafnium, indium, iron (Fe²⁺ or Fe³⁺), molybdenum, nickel, niobium, silver, strontium, tantalum, tin, titanium, tungsten, vanadium, zinc, zirconium, perovskites, and un-doped or doped combinations thereof.

26. A nanoporous-nanocrystalline film, comprising:

a nanoporous-nanocrystalline, semi-conducting metal oxide having a redox chromophore attached thereto, wherein the redox chromophore comprises a compound represented by the following formula;

27. The nanoporous-nanocrystalline film according to claim 26, wherein the metal oxide comprises an oxide of a metal selected from at least one of chromium, hafnium, indium, iron (Fe²⁺ or Fe³⁺), molybdenum, nickel, niobium, silver, strontium, tantalum, tin, titanium, tungsten, vanadium, zinc, zirconium, perovskites, and un-doped or doped combinations thereof.

28. A nanoporous-nanocrystalline film, comprising:

a nanoporous-nanocrystalline, semi-conducting metal oxide having a redox chromophore attached thereto, wherein the redox chromophore comprises a compound represented by the following formula;

29. The nanoporous-nanocrystalline film according to claim 28, wherein the metal oxide comprises an oxide of a metal selected from at least one of chromium, hafnium, indium, iron (Fe²⁺ or Fe³⁺), molybdenum, nickel, niobium, silver, strontium, tantalum, tin, titanium, tungsten, vanadium, zinc, zirconium, perovskites, and un-doped or doped combinations thereof.