ELECTROCHROMIC MULTI-LAYER DEVICES WITH CHARGE SEQUESTRATION AND RELATED METHODS

• US 20170146882A1
• Filed: 02/03/2017
• Published: 05/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Halio Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Kinestral Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Bass, John David, Ziebarth, Jonathan, Duncan, Hugues, Kerszulis, Justin, Tumer, Howard W., Yoder, Jeffrey Charles
• Granted Patent: US 10,007,163 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2009/2464 featuring transparency control by applying voltage, e.g. LCD, electrochromic panels
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/6722 with adjustable passage of light
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/24 Screens or other constructions affording protection against light, especially against sunshine; Similar screens for privacy or appearance; Slat blindsoperating, guiding or securing devices or arrangements for roll-type closures E06B9/56; free-hanging flexible screens A47H23/00
• 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 1/1523 comprising inorganic material
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/153 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/155 Electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/163 Operation of electrochromic cells, e.g. electrodeposition cells; Circuit arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2001/15145 the electrochromic layer comprises a mixture of anodic and cathodic compounds

Abstract

An electrochromic multi-layer stack is provided. The multi-layer stack includes an electrochromic multi-layer stack having a first substrate, a first electrically conductive layer, a first electrode layer, an ion conductor layer, a second substrate, a second electrically conductive layer, and a second electrode layer. The multi-layer stack includes a redox element, wherein the redox element is electrically isolated from the first and second electrically conductive layers and the first and second electrode layer and is laterally adjacent to either the first electrically conductive layer and the first electrode, or the second electrically conductive layer and the second electrode layer. A method for controlling an electrochromic device is also provided.

Claims

1. An electrochromic multi-layer stack comprising:

a first substrate;

a first electrically conductive layer;

a first electrode layer comprising a nickel metal oxide;

an ion conductor layer;

a second substrate;

a second electrically conductive layer;

a second electrode layer comprising a tungsten metal oxide; and

a first redox element comprising a sequestration material and an auxiliary electrode material, wherein the first redox element is electrically isolated from the first and second electrically conductive layers and the first and second electrode layer and is laterally adjacent to either the first electrically conductive layer and the first electrode, or the second electrically conductive layer and the second electrode layer.

2. The electrochromic multi-layer stack of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary electrode comprises the same material as the first or second electrically conductive layer.

3. The electrochromic multi-layer stack of claim 1, wherein the sequestration material is selected from the group consisting of a fluorocarbon, CF_x where x is from 0.95 to 1.15, a sulfide, an oxide, a fluorosulfate, a phosphate, lithium iron phosphate, a metal, a metal alloy, or a polymer.

4. The electrochromic multi-layer stack of claim 1, wherein the sequestration material is from 1 to 20 times thicker than either the first electrode layer or the second electrode layer.

5. The electrochromic multi-layer stack of claim 1, further comprising a second redox element, wherein

the second redox element is electrically isolated from the first redox element, the first electrically conductive layer, the second electrically conductive layer, the first electrode layer, and the second electrode layer, and

the first and second redox elements are laterally adjacent to the second electrically conductive layer and the second electrode layer.

6. The electrochromic multi-layer stack of claim 5, wherein the second substrate is approximately a quadrilateral, and the first and second redox elements are located parallel to one another on opposite edges of the second substrate.

7. The electrochromic multi-layer stack of claim 1, wherein the multi-layer stack comprises an electrochromic device comprising a more optically transmissive state and a less optically transmissive state, and wherein the photopic transmittance ratio of the more optically transmissive state to the less optically transmissive state is from 5:

1 to 30;

1.

8. The electrochromic multi-layer stack of claim 1, wherein the first electrically conductive layer, or the second electrically conductive layer, or both the first and the second electrically conductive layers have spatially varying properties.

9. The electrochromic multi-layer stack of claim 8, wherein the first electrically conductive layer, or the second electrically conductive layer, or both the first and the second electrically conductive layers comprise an ablated pattern and a non-linear resistance as a function of distance.

10. The electrochromic multi-layer stack of claim 1, wherein the ion conductor layer comprises a polymer.

11. The electrochromic multi-layer stack of claim 1, wherein the electrochromic multi-layer stack is incorporated into an electrochromic device that is implemented in an insulated glass unit.

12. The electrochromic multi-layer stack of claim 1, wherein the electrochromic multi-layer stack is incorporated into an electrochromic device that is implemented in an architectural window.

13. A method for controlling an electrochromic device, comprising:

applying charge to the electrochromic device to reversibly cycle the electrochromic device between a less optically transmissive state and a more optically transmissive state, wherein the electrochromic device comprises;

a first electrode comprising a metal oxide comprising nickel;

a second electrode comprising a metal oxide comprising tungsten;

an auxiliary electrode; and

and an ion conductor; and

applying charge periodically to the auxiliary electrode to adjust the oxidation state of the first or second electrode relative to the auxiliary electrode.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the auxiliary electrode material comprises same material as the first or second electrically conductive layer.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the electrochromic device further comprises a sequestration material, wherein the sequestration material is selected from the group consisting of a fluorocarbon, CF_x where x is from 0.95 to 1.15, a sulfide, an oxide, a fluorosulfate, a phosphate, lithium iron phosphate, a metal, a metal alloy, or a polymer.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the sequestration material is from 2 to 20 times thicker than either the first electrode layer or second electrode layer.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the photopic transmittance ratio of the more optically transmissive state to the less optically transmissive state is from 5:

1 to 30;

1.

18. A method for controlling an electrochromic device, comprising:

applying charge to the electrochromic device to reversibly cycle the electrochromic device between the optically less transmissive and optically more transmissive states, wherein the electrochromic device comprises a first electrode, a second electrode, an auxiliary electrode, and an ion conductor; and

applying charge periodically to the auxiliary electrode to adjust the oxidation state of the first or second electrode relative to the auxiliary electrode, wherein applying charge periodically to the auxiliary electrode is started when a certain charge condition is reached on the multi-layer stack.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the applying charge periodically to the auxiliary electrode is started when the device is in the bleached state.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the applying charge periodically to the auxiliary electrode is started when the device is in a state other than the bleached state, and the applied charge is counted.