Reversible electrochemical mirror (REM) with improved electrolytic solution
First Claim
1. A reversible electrochemical mirror device for controlling the reflection of electromagnetic radiation, comprising:
- a first electrode;
a second electrode, at least one of said first and second electrodes being substantially transparent to at least a portion of the spectrum of electromagnetic radiation;
an electrolytic solution disposed between and in electrical contact with the first and second electrodes, said electrolytic solution comprising;
a solvent,a source of cations of at least one electrodepositable mirror metal,at least one halide and/or pseudohalide compound having cations that are not electroactive in the voltage range over which the device is operated, the ratio of the total molar concentration of halide and/or pseudohalide anions (where said total is the aggregate of anions originating from said halide and/or pseudohalide compound and anions originating from said source of said electrodepositable mirror metal cations) to the total molar concentration of said electrodepositable mirror metal cations being greater than 6;
1; and
a plurality of atoms of said electrodepositable mirror metal disposed on either the first or the second electrode,such that a negative electrical potential applied to the first electrode relative to the second electrode tends to cause deposited metal to be dissolved from the second electrode into the solution and to be electrodeposited from the solution as a mirror deposit onto the first electrode, andsuch that a positive electrical potential applied to the first electrode relative to the second electrode tends to cause deposited metal to be dissolved from the first electrode into the solution and electrodeposited from the solution onto the second electrode,the amount of deposited metal subsisting on the first electrode affecting the reflection of electromagnetic radiation by the device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A reversible electrochemical mirror (REM) includes a first electrode and a second electrode, one of which is substantially transparent to at least a portion of the spectrum of electromagnetic radiation. An electrolytic solution, disposed between the first and second electrodes, contains ions of a metal which can electrodeposit on the electrodes. The electrolytic solution also contains halide and/or pseudohalide anions having a total molar concentration ratio of at least 6:1 compared to that of the electrodepositable metal. A negative electrical potential applied to the first electrode causes deposited metal to be dissolved from the second electrode into the electrolytic solution and to be electrodeposited from the solution onto the first electrode to form a mirror deposit, thereby affecting the reflectivity of the REM device for electromagnetic radiation. A positive electrical potential applied to the first electrode causes deposited metal to be dissolved from the first electrode into the solution and electrodeposited from the solution onto the second electrode, thereby decreasing the reflectivity of the REM mirror. It is usually necessary to apply a surface modification layer to the first electrode to ensure uniform nucleation so that a mirror electrodeposit having high reflectivity is obtained. The high molar concentration ratio of halide and/or pseudohalide anions to electrodepositable metal ions in the electrolyte provides the inherent electrolyte stability, high deposit quality, good deposit erasure and long cycle life needed for practical applications.
207 Citations
51 Claims
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1. A reversible electrochemical mirror device for controlling the reflection of electromagnetic radiation, comprising:
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a first electrode; a second electrode, at least one of said first and second electrodes being substantially transparent to at least a portion of the spectrum of electromagnetic radiation; an electrolytic solution disposed between and in electrical contact with the first and second electrodes, said electrolytic solution comprising; a solvent, a source of cations of at least one electrodepositable mirror metal, at least one halide and/or pseudohalide compound having cations that are not electroactive in the voltage range over which the device is operated, the ratio of the total molar concentration of halide and/or pseudohalide anions (where said total is the aggregate of anions originating from said halide and/or pseudohalide compound and anions originating from said source of said electrodepositable mirror metal cations) to the total molar concentration of said electrodepositable mirror metal cations being greater than 6;
1; anda plurality of atoms of said electrodepositable mirror metal disposed on either the first or the second electrode, such that a negative electrical potential applied to the first electrode relative to the second electrode tends to cause deposited metal to be dissolved from the second electrode into the solution and to be electrodeposited from the solution as a mirror deposit onto the first electrode, and such that a positive electrical potential applied to the first electrode relative to the second electrode tends to cause deposited metal to be dissolved from the first electrode into the solution and electrodeposited from the solution onto the second electrode, the amount of deposited metal subsisting on the first electrode affecting the reflection of electromagnetic radiation by the device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 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)
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48. A reversible electrochemical mirror device for controlling the reflection of electromagnetic radiation, comprising:
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a first substrate which is substantially transparent to at least a portion of the spectrum of electromagnetic radiation; a first electrode which is disposed on the first substrate and which is substantially transparent to at least said portion of the spectrum of electromagnetic radiation; a surface modification layer disposed on the first electrode; a second substrate; a second electrode which is disposed on the second substrate; an electrolytic solution disposed between and in electrical contact with the first and second electrodes, said electrolytic solution comprising; a solvent, a source of cations of at least one electrodepositable mirror metal, at least one halide and/or pseudohalide compound having cations that are not electroactive in the voltage range over which the device is operated, the ratio of the total molar concentration of halide and/or pseudohalide anions (where said total is the aggregate of anions originating from said halide and/or pseudohalide compound and anions originating from said source of said electrodepositable mirror metal cations) to the total molar concentration of said electrodepositable mirror metal cations being greater than 6;
1; anda plurality of atoms of said electrodepositable mirror metal disposed on either the first or the second electrode, such that a negative electrical potential applied to the first electrode relative to the second electrode tends to cause deposited metal to be dissolved from the second electrode into the solution and to be electrodeposited from the solution as a mirror deposit onto the first electrode, and such that a positive electrical potential applied to the first electrode relative to the second electrode tends to cause deposited metal to be dissolved from the first electrode into the solution and electrodeposited from the solution onto the second electrode, the amount of deposited metal subsisting on the first electrode affecting the reflection of electromagnetic radiation by the device.
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49. A reversible electrochemical mirror device for controlling the reflection of electromagnetic radiation, comprising:
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a first substrate which is substantially transparent to at least a portion of the spectrum of electromagnetic radiation; a first electrode which is disposed on the first substrate and which is substantially transparent to at least said portion of the spectrum of electromagnetic radiation; a surface modification layer disposed on the first electrode; a second electrode; an electrochemically stable metal layer deposited on the second electrode; an electrolytic solution disposed between and in electrical contact with the first and second electrodes, said electrolytic solution comprising; a solvent, a source of cations of at least one electrodepositable mirror metal, at least one halide and/or pseudohalide compound having cations that are not electroactive in the voltage range over which the device is operated, the ratio of the total molar concentration of halide and/or pseudohalide anions (where said total is the aggregate of anions originating from said halide and/or pseudohalide compound and anions originating from said source of said electrodepositable mirror metal cations) to the total molar concentration of said electrodepositable mirror metal cations being greater than 6;
1; anda plurality of atoms of said electrodepositable mirror metal disposed on either the first or the second electrode, such that a negative electrical potential applied to the first electrode relative to the second electrode tends to cause deposited metal to be dissolved from the second electrode into the solution and to be electrodeposited from the solution as a mirror deposit onto the first electrode, and such that a positive electrical potential applied to the first electrode relative to the second electrode tends to cause deposited metal to be dissolved from the first electrode into the solution and electrodeposited from the solution onto the second electrode, the amount of deposited metal subsisting on the first electrode affecting the reflection of electromagnetic radiation by the device.
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50. A reversible electrochemical mirror device for controlling the reflection of electromagnetic radiation, comprising:
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a first substrate which is substantially transparent to at least a portion of the spectrum of electromagnetic radiation; a first electrode which is disposed on the first substrate and which is substantially transparent to at least said portion of the spectrum of electromagnetic radiation; a surface modification layer disposed on the first electrode; a second, electrically insulating substrate; a second electrode which is an electrochemically stable metal disposed on the second substrate; an electrolytic solution disposed between and in electrical contact with the first and second electrodes, said electrolytic solution comprising; a solvent, a source of cations of at least one electrodepositable mirror metal, at least one halide and/or pseudohalide compound having cations that are not electroactive in the voltage range over which the device is operated, the ratio of the total molar concentration of halide and/or pseudohalide anions (where said total is the aggregate of anions originating from said halide and/or pseudohalide compound and anions originating from said source of said electrodepositable mirror metal cations) to the total molar concentration of said electrodepositable mirror metal cations being greater than 6;
1; anda plurality of atoms of said electrodepositable mirror metal disposed on either the first or the second electrode, such that a negative electrical potential applied to the first electrode relative to the second electrode tends to cause deposited metal to be dissolved from the second electrode into the solution and to be electrodeposited from the solution as a mirror deposit onto the first electrode, and such that a positive electrical potential applied to the first electrode relative to the second electrode tends to cause deposited metal to be dissolved from the first electrode into the solution and electrodeposited from the solution onto the second electrode, the amount of deposited metal subsisting on the first electrode affecting the reflection of electromagnetic radiation by the device.
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51. A reversible electrochemical mirror device for controlling the reflection of electromagnetic radiation, comprising:
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a first substrate which is substantially transparent to at least a portion of the spectrum of electromagnetic radiation; a first electrode which is disposed on the first substrate and which is substantially transparent to at least said portion of the spectrum of electromagnetic radiation; a surface modification layer disposed on the first electrode; a second substrate which is substantially transparent to at least said portion of the spectrum of electromagnetic radiation; a second electrode which is distributed in localized areas on the second substrate; an electrolytic solution disposed between and in electrical contact with the first and second electrodes, said electrolytic solution comprising; a solvent, a source of cations of at least one electrodepositable mirror metal, at least one halide and/or pseudohalide compound having cations that are not electroactive in the voltage range over which the device is operated, the ratio of the total molar concentration of halide and/or pseudohalide anions (where said total is the aggregate of anions originating from said halide and/or pseudohalide compound and anions originating from said source of said electrodepositable mirror metal cations) to the total molar concentration of said electrodepositable mirror metal cations being greater than 6;
1; anda plurality of atoms of said electrodepositable mirror metal disposed on either the first or the second electrode, such that a negative electrical potential applied to the first electrode relative to the second electrode tends to cause deposited metal to be dissolved from the second electrode into the solution and to be electrodeposited from the solution as a mirror deposit onto the first electrode, and such that a positive electrical potential applied to the first electrode relative to the second electrode tends to cause deposited metal to be dissolved from the first electrode into the solution and electrodeposited from the solution onto the second electrode, the amount of deposited metal subsisting on the first electrode affecting the reflection of electromagnetic radiation by the device.
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Specification