Electro chromic assembly based on poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene derivatives in the electrochromic layer and the ion-storage layer

• US 6,452,711 B1
• Filed: 05/27/1999
• Issued: 09/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Heraeus Clevios GmbH (Heraeus Holding GMBH)
• Original Assignee: Bayer AG
• Inventors: Wehrmann, Rolf, Heuer, Helmut-Werner
• Primary Examiner(s): Epps, Georgia
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lester, Evelyn A.
• Application Number:
  US09/321,773
• Time in Patent Office: 1,209 Days
• Field of Search: 252/583, 252/500, 359/265-275, 524/408, 524/430, 428/457, 428/690, 428/704, 525/186, 525/206
• US Class Current: 359/265
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/15165 Polymers
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2001/164 the electrolyte is made of polymers

Abstract

Electrochromic assemblies having a layer structure, characterized in that two layers each contain an electrically conductive, electrochromic polydioxythiophene selected from the same group of substances.

Claims

1. An electrochromic assembly having a layer structure comprising two layers containing an electrically conductive electrochromic polydioxythiophene.

2. An electrochromic assembly according to claim 1 wherein one layer acts as a color-imparting layer and the second layer acts as an ion-storage-layer.

3. An electrochromic assembly according to claim 2 wherein the ion-storage-layer has a lower thickness than the color-imparting layer and the two layers contain the same electrically conductive electrochromic polydioxythiophene.

4. An electrochromic assembly according to claim 1 wherein the electrically conductive electrochromic polydioxythiophene comprises structural units of the formula (I)

wherein

A¹ and A² represent, independently of one another, substituted or unsubstituted (C₁-C₄)-alkyl or together form substituted or unsubstituted (C₁-C₄)-alkylene, and

n represents an integer from 2 to 10,000, and polyanion counterions.

5. An electrochromic assembly according to claim 4 wherein polyanion counterions are anions of polymeric carboxylic acid and/or polymeric sulphonic acids.

6. An electrochromic assembly according to claim 1 wherein the electrically conductive electrochromic polydioxythiophene comprises structural units of the formulas

wherein

R₁ and R₂ represent, independently of one another, hydrogen or a substituted or unsubstituted (C₁-C₁₈)-alkyl, (C₂-C₁₂)-alkenyl, (C₃-C₇)-cycloalkyl, (C₇-C₁₅)-aralkyl, (C₆-C₁₀)-aryl, (C₁-C₁₈)-alkyloxy, or (C₂-C₁₈)-alkyloxy ester group,

R₃ and R₄ represent, independently of one another, hydrogen or a (C₁-C₁₈)-alkyl, (C₂-C₁₂)-alkenyl, (C₃-C₇)-cycloalkyl, (C₇-C₁₅)-aralkyl, (C₆-C₁₀)-aryl, (C₁C₁₈)-alkyloxy, or (C₂-C₁₈)-alkyloxy ester group substituted by at least one sulphonate group, with the proviso that R₃ and R₄ cannot both be hydrogen, and

n represents an integer from 2 to 10,000,

and polyanion counterions.

7. An electrochromic assembly according to claim 6 wherein polyanion counterions are anions of polymeric carboxylic acid and/or polymeric sulphonic acids.

8. An electrochromic assembly according to claim 6 additionally comprising at least one transparent electrically conductive coating on a substrate.

9. An electrochromic assembly according to claim 6 wherein an eletrically conductive polydioxythiophene is a conductive electrode material.

10. An electrochromic assembly according to claim 1 wherein a plate to which a metal layer has been deposited is used as a conductive layer for connection to a power source.

11. An electrochromic assembly according to claim 6 additionally comprising a transparent gel electrolyte layer containing a crosslinked or uncrosslinked polymer, a lithium salt, and a solvent or solvent, mixture.

12. An electrochromic assembly according to claim 11 wherein the polymer is a photocrosslinkable polymer.

13. An electrochromic assembly according to claim 11 wherein the gel electrolyte contains light stabilizers and organic and/or inorganic fillers and/or additives.