Electrochromic optical switching device
First Claim
1. An electrochromic cell comprising:
- a) an electrochromic electrode;
b) an organo-sulfur counter electrode comprising a compound having the general formula, in its charged state, of (R(S)y)n wherein y is 1-6;
n is 2 to 1,000,000; and
R is one or more of the same or different aliphatic or aromatic organic moieties having 1 to 20 carbon atoms which may include one or more oxygen, sulfur, or nitrogen heteroatoms when R comprises one or more aromatic rings, or one or more oxygen, sulfur, nitrogen, or fluorine atoms associated with the chain when R comprises an aliphatic chain, wherein the aliphatic chain may be linear, branched, saturated or unsaturated, and wherein either the aliphatic chain or the aromatic ring may have substituted groups thereon; and
c) an electronically insulative separator material capable of ionic transport in contact with both of said electrodes.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An electrochromic cell is disclosed which comprises an electrochromic layer, a polymerizable organo-sulfur layer which comprises the counter electrode of the structure, and an ionically conductive electronically insulating material which comprises the separator between the electrodes. In a preferred embodiment, both the separator and the organo-sulfur electrode (in both its charged and uncharged states) are transparent either to visible light or to the entire solar spectrum. An electrochromic device is disclosed which comprises such electrodes and separator encased in glass plates on the inner surface of each of which is formed a transparent electrically conductive film in respective electrical contact with the electrodes which facilitates formation of an external electrical connection or contact to the electrodes of the device to permit electrical connection of the device to an external potential source.
-
Citations
26 Claims
-
1. An electrochromic cell comprising:
-
a) an electrochromic electrode; b) an organo-sulfur counter electrode comprising a compound having the general formula, in its charged state, of (R(S)y)n wherein y is 1-6;
n is 2 to 1,000,000; and
R is one or more of the same or different aliphatic or aromatic organic moieties having 1 to 20 carbon atoms which may include one or more oxygen, sulfur, or nitrogen heteroatoms when R comprises one or more aromatic rings, or one or more oxygen, sulfur, nitrogen, or fluorine atoms associated with the chain when R comprises an aliphatic chain, wherein the aliphatic chain may be linear, branched, saturated or unsaturated, and wherein either the aliphatic chain or the aromatic ring may have substituted groups thereon; andc) an electronically insulative separator material capable of ionic transport in contact with both of said electrodes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 22, 23)
-
-
12. An electrochromic device comprising:
-
a) a first transparent electrically conductive film; b) an electrochromic electrode capable of being in a transparent electrical charge state having a surface in electrical contact with said first transparent electrically conductive film; c) a transparent organo-sulfur counter electrode comprising a compound having the general formula, in its charged state, of (R(S)y)n wherein y is 2 to 3;
n is 5 or more; and
R is one or more of the same or different aliphatic or aromatic organic moieties having 1 to 20 carbon atoms which may include one or more oxygen, sulfur, or nitrogen heteroatoms when R comprises one or more aromatic rings, or one or more oxygen, sulfur, nitrogen, or fluorine atoms associated with the chain when R comprises an aliphatic chain, wherein the aliphatic chain may be linear, branched, saturated or unsaturated, and wherein either the aliphatic chain or the aromatic ring may have substituted groups thereon,d) a second transparent electrically conductive film in contact with said organo-sulfur electrode; e) an electronically insulative separator material capable of ionic transport containing an electrolyte containing a group IA element selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, lithium, sodium, and potassium, separating said electrochromic electrode from said organo-sulfur electrode; and f) a glass substrate in contact with one of said transparent electrically conductive films. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
-
21. An electrochromic device having one level of transparency when in one electrical charge state and a lower level of transparency when in another electrical charge state comprising:
-
a) a first transparent electrically conductive planar tin oxide film, including an electrical contact member; b) a planar electrochromic solid state electrode capable of being in a transparent electrical charge state having a surface in electrical contact with said first transparent electrically conductive film and comprising one or more materials selected from the group consisting of transition metal oxides, heteropolyacids, metal-oxide cermets, mixed oxide composites hydrous Group VIII metal oxides, organic electrochromic materials, and redox compounds; c) a transparent planar solid state organo-sulfur electrode having the formula, when in a charged state, of (R(S)y)n wherein y is 2 to 3;
n is 5 to about 1,000,000; and
R is one or more of the same or different aliphatic or aromatic organic moieties having 1 to 20 carbon atoms which may include one or more oxygen, sulfur, or nitrogen heteroatoms when R comprises one or more aromatic rings, or one or more oxygen, sulfur, nitrogen, or fluorine atoms associated with the chain when R comprises an aliphatic chain, wherein the aliphatic chain may be linear, branched, saturated or unsaturated, and wherein either the aliphatic chain or the aromatic ring may have substituted groups thereon;d) a second transparent electrically conductive tin oxide film in contact with said organo-sulfur electrode, including an electrical contact member; e) an electronically insulative planar solid state separator comprising polyethylene oxide capable of ionic transport containing an electrolyte having one or more group IA elements selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, and cesium separating said electrochromic electrode from said organo-sulfur electrode; f) planar glass substrates in contact with said transparent electrically conductive films; and g) sealing means to seal the end edges of said planar members of said electrochromic device.
-
-
24. An electrochromic cell comprising:
-
a) an electrochromic electrode; b) an organo-sulfur counter electrode comprising a organo-sulfur compound capable of polymerizing to form --S--S-- bonds between sulfur-containing groups when in a charged state; and c) an electronically insulative separator material capable of ionic transport in contact with both of said electrodes. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
-
Specification