Electrochromic device having a current-reducing additive

• US 6,525,861 B1
• Filed: 12/10/2001
• Issued: 02/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Inventors: Guarr, Thomas F., Roberts, Kathy E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lester, Evelyn A
• Application Number:
  US10/012,937
• Time in Patent Office: 442 Days
• Field of Search: 359/265-275, 252/582, 252/583, 252/586
• US Class Current: 359/265
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1503 caused by oxidation-reduction reactions in organic liquid solutions, e.g. viologen solutions

Abstract

An electrochromic medium for use in an electrochromic device comprising: at least one solvent; an anodic electroactive material; a cathodic electroactive material, wherein at least one of the anodic and cathodic electroactive materials is electrochromic; and a current-reducing additive, wherein the current-reducing additive comprises a polymer present in an effective concentration to materially reduce the current of the electrochromic medium upon application of an electrical potential, relative to an electrochromic medium without the current-reducing additive, while maintaining an electrochromic medium viscosity which facilitates acceptable production rates without a problematic degree of seal or other device component failure.

Claims

1. An electrochromic medium for use in an electrochromic device, comprising:

at least one solvent;

an anodic electroactive material;

a cathodic electroactive material, wherein at least one of the anodic and cathodic electroactive materials is electrochromic;

a current-reducing additive, wherein the current-reducing additive comprises a polymer present in an effective concentration to reduce the current of the electrochromic medium upon application of an electrical potential relative to an electrochromic medium without the current-reducing additive by at least approximately 20%; and

wherein the electrochromic medium comprises a viscosity of less than approximately 150 cP at 20°

C.

2. The electrochromic medium according to claim 1, wherein the average molecular weight of the current-reducing additive is greater than approximately 1,000 Daltons.

3. The electrochromic medium according to claim 1, wherein the average molecular weight of the current-reducing additive ranges from approximately 1,500 Daltons to approximately 125,000 Daltons.

4. The electrochromic medium according to claim 1, wherein the average molecular weight of the current-reducing additive ranges from approximately 1,500 Daltons to approximately 50,000 Daltons.

5. The electrochromic medium according to claim 1, wherein the current-reducing additive is present in a concentration ranging from approximately 5% by weight to approximately 75% by weight.

6. The electrochromic medium according to claim 1, wherein the current-reducing additive is present in a concentration ranging from approximately 8% by weight to approximately 30% by weight.

7. The electrochromic medium according to claim 1, wherein the current-reducing additive is selected from the group comprising polyamides, polyimides, polycarbonates, polyesters, polyethers, polymethacrylates, polyacrylates, polysilanes, polysiloxanes, polyvinylacetates, polyacrylonitriles, polyvinylalcohols, and combinations thereof.

8. The electrochromic medium according to claim 1, wherein the current-reducing additive is present in an effective concentration to reduce the current of the electrochromic medium upon application of an electrical potential relative to an electrochromic medium without the current-reducing additive by at least approximately 40%.

9. The electrochromic medium according to claim 1, wherein the viscosity of the electrochromic medium is less than approximately 100 cP.

10. The electrochromic medium according to claim 9, wherein the average molecular weight of the current-reducing additive is greater than approximately 1,000 Daltons.

11. The electrochromic medium according to claim 9, wherein the average molecular weight of the current-reducing additive ranges from approximately 1,500 Daltons to approximately 125,000 Daltons.

12. The electrochromic medium according to claim 9, wherein the average molecular weight of the current-reducing additive ranges from approximately 1,500 Daltons to approximately 50,000 Daltons.

13. The electrochromic medium according to claim 9, wherein the current-reducing additive is present in a concentration ranging from approximately 5% by weight to approximately 75% by weight.

14. The electrochromic medium according to claim 9, wherein the current-reducing additive is present in a concentration ranging from approximately 8% by weight to approximately 30% by weight.

15. The electrochromic medium according to claim 9, wherein the current-reducing additive is selected from the group comprising polyamides, polyimides, polycarbonates, polyesters, polyethers, polymethacrylates, polyacrylates, polysilanes, polysiloxanes, polyvinylacetates, polyacrylonitriles, polyvinylalcohols, and combinations thereof.

16. The electrochromic medium according to claim 9, wherein the current-reducing additive is present in an effective concentration to reduce the current of the electrochromic medium upon application of an electrical potential relative to an electrochromic medium without the current-reducing additive by at least approximately 40%.

17. The electrochromic medium according to claim 1, wherein the viscosity of the electrochromic medium is less than approximately 50 cP.

18. The electrochromic medium according to claim 17, wherein the average molecular weight of the current-reducing additive is greater than approximately 1,000 Daltons.

19. The electrochromic medium according to claim 17, wherein the average molecular weight of the current-reducing additive ranges from approximately 1,500 Daltons to approximately 125,000 Daltons.

20. The electrochromic medium according to claim 17, wherein the average molecular weight of the current-reducing additive ranges from approximately 1,500 Daltons to approximately 50,000 Daltons.

21. The electrochromic medium according to claim 17, wherein the current-reducing additive is present in a concentration ranging from approximately 5% by weight to approximately 75% by weight.

22. The electrochromic medium according to claim 17, wherein the current-reducing additive is present in a concentration ranging from approximately 8% by weight to approximately 30% by weight.

23. The electrochromic medium according to claim 17, wherein the current-reducing additive is selected from the group comprising polyamides, polyimides, polycarbonates, polyesters, polyethers, polymethacrylates, polyacrylates, polysilanes, polysiloxanes, polyvinylacetates, polyacrylonitriles, polyvinylalcohols, and combinations thereof.

24. The electrochromic medium according to claim 17, wherein the current-reducing additive is present in an effective concentration to reduce the current of the, electrochromic medium upon application of an electrical potential relative to an electrochromic medium without the current-reducing additive by at least approximately 40%.

25. An electrochromic device, comprising:

a first substantially transparent substrate having an electrically conductive material associated therewith;

a second substrate having an electrically conductive material associated therewith; and

an electrochromic medium contained within a chamber positioned between the first and second substrates which comprises;

at least one solvent;

an anodic electroactive material;

a cathodic electroactive material, wherein at least one of the anodic and cathodic electroactive materials is electrochromic;

a current-reducing additive, wherein the current-reducing additive comprises a polymer present in an effective concentration to reduce the current of the electrochromic medium upon application of an electrical potential relative to an electrochromic medium without the current-reducing additive by at least approximately 20%; and

wherein the electrochromic medium comprises a viscosity of less than approximately 150 cP at 20°

C.

26. The electrochromic device according to claim 25, wherein the average molecular weight of the current-reducing additive is greater than approximately 1,000 Daltons.

27. The electrochromic device according to claim 25, wherein the average molecular weight of the current-reducing additive ranges from approximately 1,500 Daltons to approximately 125,000 Daltons.

28. The electrochromic device according to claim 25, wherein the average molecular weight of the current-reducing additive ranges from approximately 1,500 Daltons to approximately 50,000 Daltons.

29. The electrochromic device according to claim 25, wherein the current-reducing additive is present in a concentration ranging from approximately 5% by weight to approximately 75% by weight.

30. The electrochromic device according to claim 25, wherein the current-reducing additive is present in a concentration ranging from approximately 8% by weight to approximately 30% by weight.

31. The electrochromic device according to claim 25, wherein the current-reducing additive is selected from the group comprising polyamides, polyimides, polycarbonates, polyesters, polyethers, polymethacrylates, polyacrylates, polysilanes, polysiloxanes, polyvinylacetates, polyacrylonitriles, polyvinylalcohols, and combinations thereof.

32. The electrochromic device according to claim 25, wherein the current-reducing additive is present in an effective concentration to reduce the current of the electrochromic medium upon application of an electrical potential relative to an electrochromic medium without the current-reducing additive by at least approximately 40%.

33. The electrochromic device according to claim 25, wherein the viscosity of the electrochromic medium is less than approximately 100 cP.

34. The electrochromic device according to claim 33, wherein the average molecular weight of the current-reducing additive is greater than approximately 1,000 Daltons.

35. The electrochromic device according to claim 33, wherein the average molecular weight of the current-reducing additive ranges from approximately 1,500 Daltons to approximately 125,000 Daltons.

36. The electrochromic device according to claim 33, wherein the average molecular weight of the current-reducing additive ranges from approximately 1,500 Daltons to approximately 50,000 Daltons.

37. The electrochromic device according to claim 33, wherein the current-reducing additive is present in a concentration ranging from approximately 5% by weight to approximately 75% by weight.

38. The electrochromic device according to claim 33, wherein the current-reducing additive is present in a concentration ranging from approximately 8% by weight to approximately 30% by weight.

39. The electrochromic device according to claim 33, wherein the current-reducing additive is selected from the group comprising polyamides, polyimides, polycarbonates, polyesters, polyethers, polymethacrylates, polyacrylates, polysilanes, polysiloxanes, polyvinylacetates, polyacrylonitriles, polyvinylalcohols, and combinations thereof.

40. The electrochromic device according to claim 33, wherein the current-reducing additive is present in an effective concentration to reduce the current of the electrochromic medium upon application of an electrical potential relative to an electrochromic medium without the current-reducing additive by at least approximately 40%.

41. The electrochromic device according to claim 25, wherein the viscosity of the electrochromic medium is less than approximately 50 cP.

42. The electrochromic device according to claim 41, wherein the average molecular weight of the current-reducing additive is greater than approximately 1,000 Daltons.

43. The electrochromic device according to claim 41, wherein the average molecular weight of the current-reducing additive ranges from approximately 1,500 Daltons to approximately 125,000 Daltons.

44. The electrochromic device according to claim 41, wherein the average molecular weight of the current-reducing additive ranges from approximately 1,500 Daltons to approximately 50,000 Daltons.

45. The electrochromic device according to claim 41, wherein the current-reducing additive is present in a concentration ranging from approximately 5% by weight to approximately 75% by weight.

46. The electrochromic device according to claim 41, wherein the current-reducing additive is present in a concentration ranging from approximately 8% by weight to approximately 30% by weight.

47. The electrochromic device according to claim 41, wherein the current-reducing additive is selected from the group comprising polyamides, polyimides, polycarbonates, polyesters, polyethers, polymethacrylates, polyacrylates, polysilanes, polysiloxanes, polyvinylacetates, polyacrylonitriles, polyvinylalcohols, and combinations thereof.

48. The electrochromic device according to claim 41, wherein the current-reducing additive is present in an effective concentration to reduce the current of the electrochromic medium upon application of an electrical potential relative to an electrochromic medium without the current-reducing additive by at least approximately 40%.

49. The electrochromic device according to claim 25, wherein the cathodic material comprises a viologen.

50. The electrochromic device according to claim 25, wherein the cathodic material comprises tungsten oxide.

51. The electrochromic device according to claim 25, wherein the anodic material is selected from the group comprising ferrocene, substituted ferrocenes, substituted ferrocenyl salts, substituted phenazines, phenothiazine, substituted phenothiazines, thianthrene, substituted thianthrenes, and combinations thereof.

52. The electrochromic device according to claim 25, wherein the device is an electrochromic window.

53. The electrochromic device according to claim 25, wherein the second substrate is plated with a reflective material.

54. The electrochromic device according to claim 53, wherein the reflective material is selected from the group comprising chromium, rhodium, ruthenium, gold, silver, alloys containing the same, and combinations thereof.

55. The electrochromic device according to claim 54, wherein the device is an electrochromic mirror.

56. An electrochromic device, comprising:

at least one substantially transparent substrate having an electrically conductive material associated therewith; and

an electrochromic medium comprising;

at least one solvent;

an anodic electroactive material;

a cathodic electroactive material, wherein at least one of the anodic and cathodic electroactive materials is electrochromic;

a current-reducing additive, wherein the current-reducing additive comprises a polymer present in an effective concentration to reduce the current of the electrochromic medium upon application of an electrical potential relative to an electrochromic medium without the current-reducing additive by at least approximately 20%; and

wherein the electrochromic medium comprises a viscosity of less than approximately 150 cP at 20°

C.

57. An electrochromic medium for use in an electrochromic device, comprising:

at least one solvent;

an anodic electroactive material;

a cathodic electroactive material, wherein at least one of the anodic and cathodic electroactive materials is electrochromic;

a current-reducing additive, wherein the current-reducing additive comprises a polymer present in an effective concentration to reduce the current of the electrochromic medium upon application of an electrical potential relative to an electrochromic medium without the current-reducing additive by at least approximately 20%; and

wherein the average molecular weight of the current-reducing additive ranges from approximately 1,000 Daltons to approximately 85,000 Daltons.

58. The electrochromic medium according to claim 57, wherein the average molecular weight of the current-reducing additive ranges from approximately 1,500 Daltons to approximately 50,000 Daltons.

59. An electrochromic medium for use in an electrochromic device, comprising:

at least one solvent;

an anodic electroactive material;

a cathodic electroactive material, wherein at least one of the anodic and cathodic electroactive materials is electrochromic;

a current-reducing additive, wherein the current-reducing additive is present in a concentration greater than 12% by weight; and

wherein the electrochromic medium comprises a viscosity of less than approximately 150 cP at 20°

C.

60. The electrochromic medium according to claim 59, wherein the current-reducing additive is present in a concentration greater than 15% by weight.