Electrochromic mirror

• US 6,023,364 A
• Filed: 07/14/1998
• Issued: 02/08/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nippon Mitsubshi Oil Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nippon Oil Corporation (ENEOS Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Masaaki, Nishikitani, Yoshinori
• Primary Examiner(s): Epps, Georgia
• Assistant Examiner(s): BURKE, MARGARET A
• Application Number:
  US09/115,035
• Time in Patent Office: 574 Days
• Field of Search: 359/265, 359/267, 359/269, 359/270, 359/273, 252/582, 252/583, 546/257, 546/258
• US Class Current: 359/265
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/088 using a cell of electrically changeable optical characteristic, e.g. liquid-crystal or electrochromic mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 9/02 Organic tenebrescent materials
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1503 caused by oxidation-reduction reactions in organic liquid solutions, e.g. viologen solutions
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1525 characterised by a particular ion transporting layer, e.g. electrolyte
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/157 Structural association of cells with optical devices, e.g. reflectors or illuminating devices

Abstract

An electrochromic mirror (10) comprises an reflective electrically conductive substrate and a transparent electrically conductive substrate, a layer of an ion conductive material (14) disposed therebetween and at least one electrochromic chromogenic layer (13) disposed either between the ion conductive material layer and the reflective electrically conductive substrate or between the ion conductive material layer and the transparent electrically conductive substrate, said electrochromic chromogenic layer containing a compound having a viologen structure represented by the formula ##STR1## wherein X^- and Y^- may be the same or different and each indicate a counter anion selected from the group consisting of a halogen anion, ClO₄^-, CH₃ COO^-, and CH₃ (C₆ H₄)SO₃^-.

The inventive mirror can be put in a various applications such as an antiglare mirror for an automobile and a decorative mirror for out door use.

Claims

1. An all-solid type electrochromic mirror comprising a reflective electrically conductive substrate, a transparent electrically conductive substrate, a layer of a solid ion conductive material, said solid ion conductive material disposed between said reflective electrically conductive substrate and said transparent electrically conductive substrate, and at least one electrochromic chromogenic layer disposed either between said ion conductive material layer and said reflective electrically conductive substrate or between said ion conductive material layer and said transparent electrically conductive substrate, wherein said ion conductive material comprises a polymer solid electrolyte derived from the polymerization of a compound selected from polyethyleneoxide-based compounds, oxyalkyleneacrylate-based compounds and urethaneacrylate-based compounds, and wherein said electrochromic chromogenic layer contains a compound having a viologen structure selected from polymers and copolymers represented by the formula ##STR24## wherein m is an integer of more than 1, n is an integer of more than 0, R³³ is a C₁ -C₂₀ divalent hydrocarbon residue, R³⁴, R³⁵ and R³⁶ are each independently a C₁ -C₂₀ hydrocarbon group, a hetero atom-containing substituent, or a halogen atom, and X^- and Y^- represent counter anions selected from the group consisting of F^-, Cl^-, Br^-, I^-, ClO₄^-, CH₃ COO^-, and CH₃ (C₆ H₄)SO₃^-, with respect to viologen and maybe the same or different;

or the formula ##STR25## wherein m is an integer of more than 1, n is an integer of more than 0, R³⁷ and R³⁸ are each independently a C₁ -C₂₀ divalent hydrocarbon residue, R³⁹ and R⁴⁰ are each independently a C₁ -C₂₀ hydrocarbon group, a heteroatom-containing substituent, or a halogen atom, and X^- and Y^- represent counter anions selected from the group consisting of F^-, Cl^-, Br^-, I^-,ClO₄^-, CH₃ COO^-, and CH₃ (C₆ H₄)SO₃^-, with respect to viologen and maybe the same or different.

2. An electrochromic mirror according to claim 1, wherein said solid ion conductive material is a polymer electrolyte obtained by solidifying a composition of an organic polar solvent, a supporting electrolyte and a urethaneacrylate of the formula ##STR26## wherein R¹ and R² may be the same or different and each comprises an α

,β

-unsaturated ester moiety;

R³ and R⁴ may be the same or different and each is a C₁ -C₂₀ divalent hydrocarbon residue, Y is selected from the group consisting of polyether units, polyester units, polycarbonate units and mixtures thereof; and

n is an integer of from 1 to 100.

3. An electrochromic mirror according to claim 1 wherein said solid ion conductive material is a polymeric electrolyte obtained by solidifying a compound comprising an organic polar solvent, a supporting electrolyte, and a poly-functional acryloyl-modified polyalkylene oxide and a mono-poly-functional acryloyl polyalkylene oxide represented by the formula ##STR27## wherein R²², R²³, R²⁴ and R²⁵ may be the same or different and each is a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having from 1 to 5 carbon atoms, and wherein n is an integer greater than 1.

4. An electrochromic mirror according to claim 1 wherein said transparent electrically conductive substrate is a laminate comprising a transparent substrate and a transparent electrode layer formed thereon.

5. An electrochromic mirror according to claim 1 wherein said reflective electrically conductive substrate is a laminate including a transparent or opaque substrate having a reflective electrode layer formed thereon, a laminate including a transparent substrate having on one surface a transparent electrode layer and on the other surface a reflective layer, a laminate including a transparent substrate having a reflective layer formed and a transparent electrode layer formed one after another or a plate-like substrate which functions as a reflective layer and an electrode.

6. An electrochromic mirror according to claim 4 wherein said transparent substrate is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene terephthalate, polyamide, polysulfone, polyether sulfone, polyether etherketone, polyphenylene sulfide, polycarbonate, polyimide, polymethyl methacrylate and polystyrene.

7. An electrochromic mirror according to claim 5 wherein said transparent substrate is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene terephthalate, polyamide, polysulfone, polyether sulfone, polyether etherketone, polyphenylene sulfide, polycarbonate, polyimide, polymethyl methacrylate and polystyrene.

8. An electrochromic mirror according to claim 4 wherein said transparent electrode layer is an electrically conductive film formed a material selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, chrome, copper, tungsten, ITO (In₂ O₃ --SnO₂), tin oxide, silver oxide, zinc oxide and vanadium oxide.

9. An electrochromic mirror according to claim 5 wherein said transparent electrode layer is an electrically conductive film formed a material selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, chrome, copper, tungsten, ITO (In₂ O₃ --SnO₂), tin oxide, silver oxide, zinc oxide and vanadium oxide.

10. An electrochromic mirror according to claim 5 wherein said reflective electrode layer is a film of a material selected from the group consisting of gold, platinum, tungsten, tantalum, rhenium, osmium, iridium, silver, nickel and palladium and an alloy of platinum-palladium, platinum-rhodium and stainless steel.

11. An electrochromic mirror according to claim 1 wherein said ion conductive material is liquid, gel or solid.