Electrochromic devices and polymer compositions

• US 20100090169A1
• Filed: 04/07/2009
• Published: 04/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BASF SE
• Original Assignee: BASF SE
• Inventors: Cliff, Nancy, Rodovsky, Deanna, Yale, David, Jankauskas, Jennifer
• Granted Patent: US 9,011,727 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 252/500
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 2261/1424 containing ether groups, including alkoxy
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 2261/3221 containing one or more nitrogen atoms as the only heteroatom, e.g. pyrrole, pyridine or triazole
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 65/00 Compositions of macromolecular compounds obtained by reactions forming a carbon-to-carbon link in the main chain C08L7/00 - C08L57/00, C08L61/00 take precedence; Compositions of derivatives of such polymers
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 2211/1466 containing nitrogen as the only heteroatom
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 9/02 Organic tenebrescent materials
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/15165 Polymers
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1533 structural features not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2202/022 polymeric

Abstract

Blending an electrically active, anodically coloring, electrochromic polymer with a non-electrochromic, non-electrically conductive binder polymer greatly enhances the performance of the anodically coloring, electrochromic polymer in an electrochromic device over time. In addition to improved physical characteristics of the blend, e.g., film build, durability etc, the coloristic properties, including color space and color strength, of the device comprising the blend are more durable than when using the neat polymer, and in certain instances, the color space and color intensity provided by the blend is superior to that available from the neat polymer.

Claims

1. An electrochromic device comprising, as an electroactive color changing component an anodically coloring electrochromic composition with improved color characteristics and durability, which composition comprises an electrically active, anodically coloring polymer and a non-electrically conductive binder polymer in a single layer.

2. An electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein the anodically coloring polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyaniline, polyphenylenediamines and polypyrrole polymers.

3. An electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein the anodically coloring polymer is selected from anodically coloring polymers and co-polymers having a band gap >

3 eV in the neutral state and oxidation potential <

0.5 vs a saturated calomel electrode.

4. An electrochromic device according to claim 2, wherein the anodically coloring polymer is selected from polymers comprising 3,4-dialkoxy pyrrole repeating units.

5. An electrochromic device according to claim 1 wherein the anodically coloring polymer is a polypyrrole polymer comprising as a repeating unit a moiety with the formula

wherein each R is independently H, alkyl or interrupted and/or substituted alkyl,

and each A is independently H, alkyl or interrupted and/or substituted alkyl,

A′

is C_1-12 alkylene or interrupted and/or substituted alkylene and

X and Y are selected from O, S and NR.

6. An electrochromic device according to claim 5 wherein X═

Y═

O,

R is C_1-24 alkyl or alkyl interrupted by one or more oxygen atoms or carbonyl, ester, amino or amido linkages, which alkyl or interrupted alkyl may also be substituted one or more times by one or more aromatic or heterocyclic ring, OH, OAcyl, O-alkyl, amino, amido, CN, halogen, COOH, carboxylic ester, amino salt, carboxylate salt or phosphorous salt,

each A is independently H, C_1-24 alkyl or alkyl interrupted by one or more oxygen atoms or carbonyl, ester, amino or amido linkages, which alkyl or interrupted alkyl may also be substituted one or more times by one or more aromatic or heterocyclic ring, OH, OAcyl, O-alkyl, amino, amido, CN, halogen, COOH, carboxylic ester, amino salt, carboxylate salt or phosphorous salt and

A′

is C_1-6 alkylene or alkylene interrupted and/or substituted as for A.

7. An electrochromic device according to claim 1 wherein the binder polymer is obtained and blended with the anodically coloring polymer as an aqueous solution, latex or dispersion.

8. An electrochromic device according to claim 1 wherein the non-electrically conductive binder polymer is also non-ionically conductive.

9. An electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein the binder polymer is selected from crosslinked or non-crosslinked acrylate, acrylamide, polyester, polyamide, polyurethane, polyolefin, polyvinyl alcohol, epoxy and fluoro polymers.

10. An electrochromic device according to claim 9, wherein the binder polymer is selected from crosslinked or non-crosslinked acrylate, acrylamide, polyester and polyvinyl alcohol polymers.

11. An electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein the binder polymer is a crosslinked or non-crosslinked polyether polymer or a crosslinked or non-crosslinked polymer comprising polyether segments along with ester, amide or urethane moieties.

12. An electrochromic device according to claim 1, which also comprises a cathodically coloring component.

13. An electrochromic device according to claim 12, wherein the cathodically coloring component comprises an electroactive, cathodically coloring polymer.

14. An electrochromic device according to claim 13, wherein the wherein the cathodically coloring component comprises a polythiophene, alkyl substituted polythiophene alkoxy or dialkoxy substituted thiophene polymer.

15. A method for preserving breadth of color space and/or intensity of color strength of an anodically coloring electrochromic composition comprising an anodically coloring polymer, which method comprises blending the anodically coloring polymer with a non-electrically conducting binder polymer prior to incorporation into the device.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein the anodically coloring polymer is selected from polyaniline, substituted diphenylene imine polymers and polypyrrole polymers.

17. A method according to claim 15, wherein the anodically coloring polymer is selected from anodically coloring polymers and co-polymers having a band gap >

3 eV in the neutral state and oxidation potential <

0.5 vs a saturated calomel electrode.

18. A method according to claim 15, wherein the binder polymer is selected from crosslinked or non-crosslinked acrylate, acrylamide, polyether, polyester, polyamide, polyurethane, polyolefin, polyvinyl alcohol, epoxy and fluoro polymers.

19. A method according to claim 18, wherein the binder polymer is selected from crosslinked or non-crosslinked acrylate, acrylamide, polyester and polyvinyl alcohol polymers.

20. A method according to claim 15, wherein the non-electrically conductive binder polymer is also non-ionically conductive.