Contollably dissolving spacing member and associated electrochromic device and method for manufacturing the same

• US 7,414,770 B2
• Filed: 05/03/2006
• Issued: 08/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Inventors: Veenman, Steven J., Kloeppner, Leroy J., Ash, Kevin L., Carroll, Michelle M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Spector; David N
• Application Number:
  US11/416,557
• Publication Number:
  US 20070258127A1
• Time in Patent Office: 839 Days
• Field of Search: 345/105, 359/265, 359/267, 359/268, 359/270, 359/273, 359/274
• US Class Current: 359/265
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/161 Gaskets; Spacers; Sealing of cells; Filling or closing of cells

Abstract

An electrochromic device including a first substantially transparent substrate having an electrically conductive material associated therewith; a second substrate having an electrically conductive material associated therewith; an electrochromic medium contained within a chamber positioned between the first and second substrates which includes at least one solvent, at least one anodic material, and at least one cathodic material, wherein the first and second substrates are substantially uniformly spaced apart by a spacing member comprising a non-polymeric material which substantially dissolves upon association with the at least one solvent.

Claims

1. 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;

at least one anodic material;

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

a spacing member positioned between the first and second substrates, wherein the spacing member comprises a non-polymeric material, and wherein the spacing member at least substantially dissolves upon association with the at least one solvent.

2. The electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein the non-polymeric material comprises an ionic salt.

3. The electrochromic device according to claim 2, wherein the ionic salt comprises a compound represented by the following formula:

[C]_x[A]_z

wherein [C] is a cation selected from the group comprising group I metals, group II metals, group III metals, transition metals, ammonium constituents, phosphonium constituents, and combinations thereof;

wherein [A] is an anion selected from the group comprising acetates, amides, arsenates, arsenides, arsenites, benzoates, borates, bromates, brosylates, carbonates, chlorates, chlorites, chromates, cyanates, cyanides, formates, halides, hydroxides, iodates, mesylates, nitrates, nitrides, nitrites, nosylates, oxalates, oxides, perchlorates, peroxides, phosphates, phosphides, sulfates, sulfides, sulfites, sulfonates, tosylates, triflates, and combinations thereof; and

wherein x and z are integers such that the net charge of [C][A] is 0.

4. The electrochromic device according to claim 2, wherein the ionic salt comprises a group I metal cation and a triflate anion.

5. The electrochromic device according to claim 4, wherein the ionic salt comprises sodium triflate.

6. The electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein the a non-polymeric material is associated with an encapsulant.

7. The electrochromic device according to claim 6, wherein the encapsulant comprises at least one of an ionic salt and a polymeric material.

8. The electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein the electrochromic medium further comprises at least one of a cross-linked polymer matrix, a free-standing gel, and a substantially non-weeping gel.

9. The electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein the electrochromic medium further comprises a redox buffer.

10. The electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein the device is an electrochromic window.

11. The electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein the device is an electrochromic aircraft transparency.

12. The electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein the second substrate is coated with a reflective material.

13. The electrochromic device according to claim 12, wherein the reflective material is selected from the group comprising chromium, ruthenium, rhodium, silver, alloys and/or combinations of the same, and stacked layers thereof.

14. The electrochromic device according to claim 13, wherein the device is an electrochromic mirror.

15. The electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein the non-polymeric material comprises an anodic material.

16. The electrochromic device according to claim 15, wherein the anodic material comprises 5,10-dimethyl-5,10-dihydrophenazine.

17. The electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein the non-polymeric material comprises an ultraviolet light stabilizer.

18. The electrochromic device according to claim 17, wherein the ultraviolet light stabilizer comprises Tinuvin P.

19. 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;

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

at least one solvent;

at least one anodic material;

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

wherein the first and second substrates are substantially uniformly spaced apart by a spacing member comprising a non-polymeric material which at least substantially dissolves upon association with the at least one solvent.

20. The electrochromic device according to claim 19, wherein the non-polymeric material comprises an ionic salt represented by the following formula:

[C]_x[A]_z

wherein [C] is a cation selected from the group comprising group I metals, group II metals, group III metals, transition metals, ammonium constituents, phosphonium constituents, and combinations thereof;

wherein [A] is an anion selected from the group comprising acetates, amides, arsenates, arsenides, arsenites, benzoates, borates, bromates, brosylates, carbonates, chlorates, chlorites, chromates, cyanates, cyanides, formates, halides, hydroxides, iodates, mesylates, nitrates, nitrides, nitrites, nosylates, oxalates, oxides, perchiorates, peroxides, phosphates, phosphides, sulfates, sulfides, sulfites, sulfonates, tosylates, triflates, and combinations thereof and

wherein x and z are integers such that the net charge of [C][A] is 0.

21. The electrochromic device according to claim 20, wherein the ionic salt comprises a group I metal cation and a triflate anion.

22. The electrochromic device according to claim 21, wherein the ionic salt comprises sodium triflate.

23. The electrochromic device according to claim 19, wherein the non-polymeric material is associated with an encapsulant.

24. The electrochromic device according to claim 23, wherein the encapsulant comprises at least one of an ionic salt and a polymeric material.

25. The electrochromic device according to claim 19, wherein the electrochromic medium further comprises at least one of a cross-linked polymer matrix, a free-standing gel, and a substantially non-weeping gel.

26. The electrochromic device according to claim 19, wherein the electrochromic medium further comprises a redox buffer.

27. The electrochromic device according to claim 19, wherein the device is an electrochromic window.

28. The electrochromic device according to claim 19, wherein the device is an electrochromic aircraft transparency.

29. The electrochromic device according to claim 19, wherein the second substrate is coated with a reflective material.

30. The electrochromic device according to claim 29, wherein the reflective material is selected from the group comprising chromium, ruthenium, rhodium, silver, alloys and/or combinations of the same, and stacked layers thereof.

31. The electrochromic device according to claim 30, wherein the device is an electrochromic mirror.

32. A spacing member for use in an electrochromic device having an electrochromic medium with at least one solvent, comprising:

a first material, wherein the first material is selected from the group comprising an electroactive material, an anodic material, a cathodic material, a non-polymeric material, a non-redox active ionic salt, a polymeric material, a solvent, a light stabilizer, a redox buffer, and combinations thereof;

wherein the first material is at least partially associated with an encapsulant, and wherein the spacing member at least substantially dissolves upon association with the at least one solvent.

33. The spacing member according to claim 32, wherein the anodic material comprises a phenazine compound.

34. The spacing member according to claim 32, wherein the cathodic material comprises a viologen.

35. The spacing member according to claim 32, wherein the polymeric material comprises a backbone selected from the group comprising polyamides, polyimides, polycarbonates, polyesters, polyethers, polymethacrylates, polyacrylates, polysilanes, polysiloxanes, polyvinylacetates, polymethacrylonitriles, polyacrylonitriles, polyvinylphenols, polyvinylalcohols, polyvinylidenehalides, and co-polymers and combinations thereof.

36. The spacing member according to claim 32, wherein the light stabilizer is selected from the group comprising Tinuvin P, Tinuvin 384, Viosorb 910, and combinations thereof.

37. The spacing member according to claim 32, wherein the encapsulant comprises an ionic salt.

38. The spacing member according to claim 32, wherein the encapsulant comprises a polymeric material.

39. A spacing member for use in an electrochromic device having an electrochromic medium with at least one solvent, comprising:

a composite material in which two or more materials are mixed together to form the spacing member, wherein the two or more materials are selected from the group comprising an electroactive material, an anodic material, a cathodic material, a non-polymeric material, a non-redox active ionic salt, a polymeric material, a solvent, a light stabilizer, a redox buffer, and combinations thereof, and wherein the spacing member at least substantially dissolves upon association with the at least one solvent.

40. 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;

at least one anodic material;

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

a spacing member positioned between the first and second substrates, wherein the spacing member comprises;

a first material, wherein the first material is selected from the group comprising an electroactive material, an anodic material, a cathodic material, a non-polymeric material, a non-redox active ionic salt, a polymeric material, a solvent, a light stabilizer, a redox buffer, and combinations thereof;

wherein the first material is at least partially associated with an encapsulant, and wherein the spacing member at least substantially dissolves upon association with the at least one solvent.

41. 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;

at least one anodic material;

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

a spacing member positioned between the first and second substrates, wherein the spacing member comprises a composite material in which two or more materials are mixed together to form the spacing member, wherein the two or more materials are selected from the group comprising an electroactive material, an anodic material, a cathodic material, a non-polymeric material, a non-redox active ionic salt, a polymeric material, a solvent, a light stabilizer, a redox buffer, and combinations thereof, and wherein the spacing member at least substantially dissolves upon association with the at least one solvent.