Variable color transparent panels

• US 4,749,260 A
• Filed: 05/01/1986
• Issued: 06/07/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/1984
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rhode Island Board of education (STATE OF RHODE ISLAND)
• Original Assignee: Rhode Island Board of education (STATE OF RHODE ISLAND)
• Inventors: Durand, Richard R. Jr., Yang, Sze C.
• Primary Examiner(s): LaRoche, Eugene R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, James C.
• Application Number:
  US06/858,384
• Time in Patent Office: 768 Days
• Field of Search: 350/357
• US Class Current: 359/275
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13473 for wavelength filtering or for colour display without the use of colour mosaic filters
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/15165 Polymers
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1525 characterised by a particular ion transporting layer, e.g. electrolyte

Abstract

An electronic display device having a polyaniline film coated on a transparent electrode. The film has electrochromic properties and will display at least three distinct reproducible color changes.

Claims

1. A transparent color panel which comprises:

first and second transparent electrodes spaced apart in facing relationship;

a polymer formed from monomeric aniline coated on said second electrode and facing the first electrode; and

an electrolyte disposed between the first and second electrodes;

the polymer adapted to display at least three distinctive color changes in response to voltages applied to the electrodes which color changes are reproduceable.

2. The panel of claim 1 wherein the electrodes each comprise a transparent sheet having an electrolytic material disposed thereon said electrolytic material on the opposed facing surfaces of said transparent sheets.

3. The panel of claim 1 which includes a plurality of polymer layers formed in said panel each said layer sandwiched between two transparent electrodes adapted to change color in response to a voltage change.

4. The panel of claim 3 wherein said electrodes are transparent.

5. The panels of claims 1 or 3 wherein the electrodes are selected from the group consisting of tin oxide, indium oxide, gold and/or platinum.

6. The panel of claim 1 wherein the electrolyte is selected from the group consisting of trifluoroacetate, trifluoromethane sulfonate, trifluoroacetic acid, sodium trifluoroacetate, hydrochloric acid, potasium chloride and phthalate buffer solutions.

7. The panel of claim 1 wherein the polymer is formed by the polymerization of the monomers selected from the group consisting of:

##STR5## where R₁ -R₈ =any one of the following groups;

--H, --(CH₂)_n CH₃ (n=0 to

     10), --OCH₃, --OC₂ H₅ --Cl, --F, --Br, --I, --CN, --SO₃ H, ##STR6## (where m, n, l=0 to 5 and X=any of the above groups) that define R₁ -R₈.

8. The panel of claim 1 wherein the polymer has absorption range between 400 to 800 nm.

9. The panel of claim 1 which includes:

means to apply voltage changes to said polymer whereby the polymer displays different gray scales.

12. The panel of claim 1 wherein the electrolyte is a liquid electrolyte.

13. The panel of claim 1 wherein the electrolyte is a solid electrolyte.

10. A method for the transmission of color through a panel wherein the panel comprises first and second transparent electrodes and a polymer formed from monomeric analine is coated on one of said electrodes and an electrolyte is disposed between the first and second electrodes which includes;

applying a voltage to the polymer the polymer changing to a first color;

applying a second voltage to the polymer the polymer changing to a second color; and

applying a third voltage to the polymer the polymer changing to a third color.

11. the method of claim 10 wherein the transparent display panel includes a plurality of layers of polymer each layer disposed between opposed electrodes and which includes:

applying independently voltages to each of said layers to control the color of each of the polymers.