Electrochromic layer and devices comprising same
First Claim
1. An electrochromic layer of reversibly variable transmittance to light, comprising a cross-linked polymer matrix that results from crosslinking polymer chains, where said polymer chains are formed prior to crosslinking by polymerizing at least one monomer, a solvent, and at least one solution based electrochromic material in solution in said solvent and interspersed in said polymer matrix.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides improved electrochromic layers, which comprise polymeric matrices with electrochromic solutions interspersed therein. Varying an electrical potential difference across a layer of the invention results in reversible variation in the transmittance of light across the layer because of electrochemical processes in the electrochromic solution of the layer. The invention further provides electrochromic devices, in which the electrochromic layers of the invention provide reversibly variable transmittance to light, and various apparatus in which the devices of the invention provide light-filtering or light-color modulation. Such apparatus include windows, including those for use inside and on the outside walls of buildings and in sunroofs for automobiles, and variable reflectance mirrors, especially rearview mirrors for automobiles.
296 Citations
177 Claims
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1. An electrochromic layer of reversibly variable transmittance to light, comprising a cross-linked polymer matrix that results from crosslinking polymer chains, where said polymer chains are formed prior to crosslinking by polymerizing at least one monomer, a solvent, and at least one solution based electrochromic material in solution in said solvent and interspersed in said polymer matrix.
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2. An electrochromic layer of reversibly variable transmittance to light which comprises:
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(a) a solvent (b) a cross-linked polymer matrix; and (c) at least one electrochromic compound in solution in said solvent and interspersed in said polymer matrix;
where said polymer matrix results from crosslinking polymer chains and where said polymer chains are formed prior to crosslinking by polymerizing at least one monomer selected from the group of compounds represented by the formula;
##STR5## where R1 is selected from the group consisting of;
alkyl, cycloalkyl, poly-cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, carboxyl and alkyl and alkenyl derivatives thereof;
alkenyl, cycloalkenyl, cycloalkadienyl, poly-cycloalkadienyl, aryl and alkyl and alkenyl derivatives thereof, hydroxyalkyl;
hydroxyalkenyl;
alkoxyalkyl; and
alkoxyalkenyl where each of the compounds has from 1 to 20 carbon atoms;where R2 is selected from the group consisting of alkyl, cycloalkyl, alkoxyalkyl, carboxyl, phenyl and keto where each of the compounds has from 1-8 carbon atoms, and oxygen; where R3,R4, and R5 may be the same or different and may be selected from the group consisting of;
hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl, polycycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, and alkyl and alkenyl derivatives thereof;
alkenyl, cycloalkenyl, cycloalkadienyl, poly-cycloalkadienyl, aryl and alkyl and alkenyl derivatives thereof;
hydroxyalkyl;
hydroxyalkenyl;
alkoxyalkyl;
alkoxyalkenyl;
keto;
acetoacetyl;
vinyl ether and combinations thereof, where each of the compounds has from 1 to 8 carbon atoms; andwhere B may be selected from the group consisting of hydroxyl;
cyanato;
isocyanato;
isothiocyanato;
epoxide;
silanes;
ketenes;
acetoacetyl;
keto;
carboxylate;
imino;
amine;
aldehyde;
metal alkoxide;
thiol and vinyl ether. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94)
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95. A variable transmittance electrochromic device which comprises, as the medium of reversibly variable transmittance to light, an electrochromic layer, which comprises:
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(a) a solvent; (b) a cross-linked polymer matrix that results from crosslinking polymer chains, where said polymer chains are formed prior to crosslinking by polymerizing at least one monomer; and (c) at least one electrochromic compound in solution in said solvent and interspersed in said polymer matrix. - View Dependent Claims (96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101)
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102. A method of forming an electrochromic layer of reversibly variable transmittance to light, comprising the steps of:
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(a) dissolving in a solvent at least one monomer selected from the group of compounds represented by the formula;
##STR6## where R1 is selected from the group consisting of;
alkyl, cycloalkyl, poly-cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, carboxyl and alkyl and alkenyl derivatives thereof;
alkenyl, cycloalkenyl, cycloalkadienyl, poly-cycloalkadienyl, aryl and alkyl and alkenyl derivatives thereof, hydroxyalkyl;
hydroxyalkenyl;
alkoxyalkyl; and
alkoxyalkenyl where each of the compounds has from 1 to 20 carbon atoms;
where R2 is selected from the group consisting of alkyl, cycloalkyl, alkoxyalkyl, carboxyl, phenyl and keto where each of the compounds has from 1-8 carbon atoms, and oxygen;where R3,R4, and R5 may be the same or different and may be selected from the group consisting of;
hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl, poly-cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, and alkyl and alkenyl derivatives thereof;
alkenyl, cycloalkenyl, cycloalkadienyl, poly-cycloalkadienyl, aryl and alkyl and alkenyl derivatives thereof;
hydroxyalkyl;
hydroxyalkenyl;
alkoxyalkyl;
alkoxyalkenyl;
keto;
acetoacetyl;
vinyl ether and combinations thereof, where each of the compounds has from 1 to 8 carbon atoms;where B may be selected from the group consisting of hydroxyl;
cyanato;
isocyanato;
isothiocyanato;
epoxide;
silane;
thiol;
metal alkoxide;
ketene;
acetoacetyl;
keto;
carboxylate;
imino;
amine;
aldehyde and vinyl ether;(b) polymerizing said at least one monomer within said solvent to form polymer chains; (c) adding at least one electrochromic compound to said polymer chains; and (d) crosslinking said polymer chains to form a cross-linked polymer matrix. - View Dependent Claims (103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148, 149, 150, 151, 152, 153, 154, 155, 156, 157, 158, 159, 160, 161, 162, 163, 164, 165, 166, 167, 168, 169, 170, 171, 172, 173, 174, 175, 176, 177)
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Specification