Electrolytes

• US 6,033,592 A
• Filed: 03/25/1999
• Issued: 03/07/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ashwin-Ushas Corporation
• Original Assignee: Ashwin-Ushas Corporation
• Inventors: Chandrasekhar, Prasanna
• Primary Examiner(s): Koslow, C. Melissa
• Application Number:
  US09/276,176
• Time in Patent Office: 348 Days
• Field of Search: 252/62.6, 252/347, 252/314, 252/307, 252/317, 359/270
• US Class Current: 252/62.2
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 9/02 Organic tenebrescent materials
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/15165 Polymers
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/153 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/155 Electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2202/022 polymeric

Abstract

An electrochromic device is provided having an electrochromic conducting polymer layer in contact with a flexible outer layer. A conductive reflective layer is disposed between the electrochromic conducting polymer and a substrate layer. A liquid or solid electrolyte contacts the conductive reflective layer and a counter electrode in the device. A liquid electrolyte may comprise, for example, a mixture of sulfuric acid, poly(vinyl sulfate), and poly(anethosulfonate). A solid electrolyte may comprise, for example, a mixture of sulfuric acid, poly(vinyl sulfate), poly(anethosulfonate), and poly(vinyl alcohol). The electrochromic conducting polymer layer may comprise, for example, poly(diphenyl amine), poly(4-amino biphenyl), poly(aniline), poly(3-alkyl thiophene), poly(phenylene), poly(phenylene vinylene), poly(alkylene vinylenes), poly(amino quinolines), or poly(diphenyl benzidine) and one or more dopants such as poly(styrene sulfonate), poly(anethosulfonate), poly(vinyl sulfate), p-toluene sulfonate, trifluoromethane sulfonate, and poly(vinyl stearate).

Claims

1. An aqueous liquid electrolyte comprising

(a) sulfuric acid;

(b) poly(vinyl sulfate); and

(c) poly(anethosulfonate).

2. An aqueous liquid electrolyte according to claim 1, wherein said sulfuric acid is present in a concentration of from about 0.02 to about 0.4 M, said poly(anethosulfonate) is present in a concentration of from about 0.002 to about 0.025 M, and said poly(vinyl sulfate) is present in a concentration of from about 0.02 to about 0.4 M.

3. An aqueous prepared solid electrolyte comprising

(a) sulfuric acid;

(b) poly(vinyl sulfate);

(c) poly(anethosulfonate); and

(d) poly(vinyl alcohol).

4. A solid electrolyte according to claim 3, wherein said poly(anethosulfonate), poly(vinyl sulfate), sulfuric acid, and poly(vinyl alcohol) are present in the following molar proportions:

from about 1 to about 200 poly(anethosulfonate);

from about 20 to about 800 poly(vinyl sulfate);

from about 100 to about 800 sulfuric acid; and

from about 2000 to about 10000 poly(vinyl alcohol).

5. An aqueous composition for preparation of a solid electrolyte comprising:

(a) sulfuric acid in a concentration of from about 0.05 to about 0.4 M;

(b) poly(anethosulfonate) in a concentration of from about 0.0005 to about 0.1 M;

(c) poly(vinyl sulfate) in a concentration of from about 0.01 to about 0.4 M; and

(d) poly(vinyl alcohol) in a concentration of from about 1 M to about 5 M.

6. A nonaqueous solution for preparation of a solid electrolyte comprising:

(a) poly(ethylene oxide) in a concentration of from about 0.05 to about 1.0 M;

(b) poly(ethylene glycol) in a concentration of from about 0.01 to about 0.1 M;

(c) p-toluene sulfonate in a concentration of from about 0.001 to about 0.05 M;

(d) trifluoromethane sulfonate in a concentration of from about 0.01 to about 0.05 M; and

(e) poly(vinyl sulfate) in a concentration of from about 0.001 to about 0.005 M.

7. A nonaqueous solution according to claim 6 comprising acetonitrile.