Electrochromic unit

• US 6,194,072 B1
• Filed: 06/03/1997
• Issued: 02/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fraunhofer Gesellschaft Zur Foerderung Der Angewandten Forsching E.V.
• Original Assignee: Fraunhofer Gesellschaft Zur Foerderung Der Angewandten Forsching E.V.
• Inventors: Stassen, Ingo, Schmidt, Clemens, Hambitzer, Günther, Dörflinger, Ulrike
• Primary Examiner(s): Watkins, III, William P.
• Application Number:
  US08/868,069
• Time in Patent Office: 1,365 Days
• Field of Search: 428/131, 428/411.1, 428/457, 428/901, 428/918, 428/917, 428/912.2, 359/265, 359/267, 359/269, 359/270, 359/271, 359/266, 359/274
• US Class Current: 428/411.1
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/153 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2001/1552 Inner electrode, e.g. the electrochromic layer being sandwiched between the inner electrode and the support substrate
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/901 Printed circuit
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/917 Electroluminescent
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/918 Material abnormally transparent
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24273 including aperture
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31504 Composite [nonstructural laminate]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31678 Of metal

Abstract

An electrochromic unit (1) having an electrochemical cell with at least two electrodes (3, 4) applied to a carrier, an electrolyte (2) located between the electrodes (3, 4) and an electrochromic material (7), such as an electrochromic polymer, applied to one of the electrodes (3), is characterized by a proton exchange membrane (2) as a solid electrolyte and carrier for the bilaterally applied electrodes (3, 4), the electrochromic material (7) being positioned on the side of the electrode (3) carrying it remote from the membrane (2).

Claims

1. An electrochromic unit consisting of an electrochemical cell, with at least two electrodes, an ion conductor positioned between the electrodes and an electrochromic material, characterized in that the ion conductor is a proton exchange membrane and said ion conductor is the carrier to which the electrodes are bilaterally applied, wherein the electrodes are metal electrodes, and wherein the electrochromic material is located on a side of an electrode carrying it remote from the ion conductor.

2. Unit according to claim 1, characterized in that the metal electrodes comprise gold.

3. Unit according to claim 1, characterized in that the metal electrodes comprise platinum.

4. Unit according to claim 1, characterized in that the electrodes are applied to the membrane by deposition from the gas phase.

5. Unit according to claim 1, characterized in that the electrochromic material comprises polyaniline.

6. Unit according to claim 1, characterized in that the electrochromic material comprises a polyaniline derivative.

7. Unit according to claim 1, characterized in that the electrochromic material is applied to the electrode by deposition from a solution.

8. Unit according to claim 1, characterized in that the electrochromic material is applied by deposition on the electrode (2).

9. Unit according to claim 1, characterized by a multilayer system of several, different electrochromic polymers as the electrochromic material.

10. Unit according to claim 1, wherein the electrode thickness is 5-30 nm.

11. Unit according to claim 1, wherein the electrode thickness is 5-7 nm.

12. Unit according to claim 5, wherein said polyaniline has a transparent or yellow coloring in its uncharged state in which the conjugate double bond system is fully formed and absorbs electromagnetic radiation, and wherein when a voltage is externally applied to said polyaniline, there is a removal of hydrogen from said polyaniline and a change of color to green or blue.