Fast-switching reversible electrochemical mirror (REM)
First Claim
1. A reversible electrochemical mirror device for controlling the propagation 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;
an essentially nonaqueous solvent, cations of an electrodepositable mirror metal having a molar concentration greater than 0.5 M, a halide 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 pseudohalide anions (where said total is the aggregate of anions originating from said halide or pseudohalide compound and anions originating from compounds of said electrodepositable mirror metal cations) to the total molar concentration of said electrodepositable mirror metal cations being at least 2;
1; and
a plurality of atoms of said electrodepositable mirror metal disposed on at least one of said first and second electrodes;
such that a negative electrical potential applied to the first electrode relative to the second electrode causes 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 causes 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.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
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 essentially nonaqueous electrolytic solution, disposed between the first and second electrodes, contains ions of an electrodepositable metal having a molar concentration of more than 0.5 M. The electrolytic solution also contains halide and/or pseudohalide anions having a total molar concentration ratio of at least 2:1 relative to the concentration of the electrodepositable metal cations. 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 of mirror metal cations attained in essentially nonaqueous solvents by use of at least a 2:1 molar ratio of halide and/or pseudohalide anions to electrodepositable metal ions in the electrolyte provides the fast switching speed, inherent electrolyte stability, high deposit quality, good deposit erasure and long cycle life needed for practical applications. Increases above this 2:1 molar ratio may be required to optimize the device performance.
-
Citations
52 Claims
-
1. A reversible electrochemical mirror device for controlling the propagation 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;
an essentially nonaqueous solvent, cations of an electrodepositable mirror metal having a molar concentration greater than 0.5 M, a halide 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 pseudohalide anions (where said total is the aggregate of anions originating from said halide or pseudohalide compound and anions originating from compounds of said electrodepositable mirror metal cations) to the total molar concentration of said electrodepositable mirror metal cations being at least 2;
1; and
a plurality of atoms of said electrodepositable mirror metal disposed on at least one of said first and second electrodes;
such that a negative electrical potential applied to the first electrode relative to the second electrode causes 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 causes 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. A reversible electrochemical mirror device for controlling the propagation of electromagnetic radiation, comprising:
-
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;
an essentially nonaqueous solvent, cations of an electrodepositable mirror metal having a molar concentration greater than 0.5 M, a halide 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 pseudohalide anions (where said total is the aggregate of anions originating from said halide or pseudohalide compound and anions originating from compounds of said electrodepositable mirror metal cations) to the total molar concentration of said electrodepositable mirror metal cations being at least 2;
1; and
a plurality of atoms of said electrodepositable mirror metal disposed on at least one of said first and second electrodes;
such that a negative electrical potential applied to the first electrode relative to the second electrode causes 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 causes 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.
-
-
48. A reversible electrochemical mirror device for controlling the propagation of electromagnetic radiation, comprising:
-
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 electrolytic solution disposed between and in electrical contact with the first and second electrodes, said electrolytic solution comprising;
an essentially nonaqueous solvent, cations of an electrodepositable mirror metal having a molar concentration greater than 0.5 M, a halide 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 pseudohalide anions (where said total is the aggregate of anions originating from said halide or pseudohalide compound and anions originating from compounds of said electrodepositable mirror metal cations) to the total molar concentration of said electrodepositable mirror metal cations being at least 2;
1; and
a plurality of atoms of said electrodepositable mirror metal disposed on at least one of said first and second electrodes;
such that a negative electrical potential applied to the first electrode relative to the second electrode causes 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 causes 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.
-
-
49. A reversible electrochemical mirror device for controlling the propagation of electromagnetic radiation, comprising:
-
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 electrolytic solution disposed between and in electrical contact with the first and second electrodes, said electrolytic solution comprising;
an essentially nonaqueous solvent, cations of an electrodepositable mirror metal having a molar concentration greater than 0.5 M, a halide 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 pseudohalide anions (where said total is the aggregate of anions originating from said halide or pseudohalide compound and anions originating from compounds of said electrodepositable mirror metal cations) to the total molar concentration of said electrodepositable mirror metal cations being at least 2;
1,an electrolyte stiffening agent; and
a plurality of atoms of said electrodepositable mirror metal disposed on at least one of said first and second electrodes;
such that a negative electrical potential applied to the first electrode relative to the second electrode causes 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 causes 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.
-
-
50. A reversible electrochemical mirror device for controlling the propagation of electromagnetic radiation, comprising:
-
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 electrolytic solution disposed between and in electrical contact with the first and second electrodes, said electrolytic solution comprising;
an essentially nonaqueous solvent, cations of an electrodepositable mirror metal having a molar concentration greater than 0.5 M, a halide 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 pseudohalide anions (where said total is the aggregate of anions originating from said halide or pseudohalide compound and anions originating from compounds of said electrodepositable mirror metal cations) to the total molar concentration of said electrodepositable mirror metal cations being at least 2;
1,an electrolyte stiffening agent, an electrolyte coloring agent; and
a plurality of atoms of said electrodepositable mirror metal disposed on at least one of said first and second electrodes;
such that a negative electrical potential applied to the first electrode relative to the second electrode causes 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 causes 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.
-
-
51. A reversible electrochemical mirror device for controlling the propagation of electromagnetic radiation, comprising:
-
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;
an essentially nonaqueous solvent, cations of an electrodepositable mirror metal having a molar concentration greater than 0.5 M, a halide 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 pseudohalide anions (where said total is the aggregate of anions originating from said halide or pseudohalide compound and anions originating from compounds of said electrodepositable mirror metal cations) to the total molar concentration of said electrodepositable mirror metal cations being at least 2;
1; and
a plurality of atoms of said electrodepositable mirror metal disposed on at least one of said first and second electrodes;
such that a negative electrical potential applied to the first electrode relative to the second electrode causes 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 causes 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.
-
-
52. A reversible electrochemical mirror device for controlling the propagation of electromagnetic radiation, comprising:
-
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;
an essentially nonaqueous solvent, cations of an electrodepositable mirror metal having a molar concentration greater than 0.5 M, a halide 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 pseudohalide anions (where said total is the aggregate of anions originating from said halide or pseudohalide compound and anions originating from compounds of said electrodepositable mirror metal cations) to the total molar concentration of said electrodepositable mirror metal cations being at least 2;
1; and
a plurality of atoms of said electrodepositable mirror metal disposed on at least one of said first and second electrodes;
such that a negative electrical potential applied to the first electrode relative to the second electrode causes 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 causes 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.
-
Specification