Electrochromic device

• US 8,085,460 B2
• Filed: 08/21/2009
• Issued: 12/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vitro Flat Glass LLC (Compagnie De Saint-Gobain)
• Original Assignee: PPG Industries Ohio Incorporated (Nouryon BV)
• Inventors: Finley, James J., Schwendeman, Irina G., Polcyn, Adam D., Harris, Caroline S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pinkney, Dawayne
• Application Number:
  US12/545,410
• Publication Number:
  US 20100053722A1
• Time in Patent Office: 858 Days
• Field of Search: 359265-275, 359/277, 359245-247, 359/254, 359/242, 345/49, 345/105, 250/70, 438/929
• US Class Current: 359/265
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 20/00 Nanooptics, e.g. quantum optics or photonic crystals
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/15165 Polymers
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1524 Transition metal compounds
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1525 characterised by a particular ion transporting layer, e.g. electrolyte
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/155 Electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2202/36 Micro- or nanomaterials

Abstract

An electrochromic device includes a first substrate spaced from a second substrate. A first conductive member is formed over at least a portion of the first substrate. A first electrochromic electrode comprising a tungsten oxide coating is formed over at least a portion of the first conductive member. A second conductive member is formed over at least a portion of the second substrate. A second electrochromic electrode is formed over at least a portion of the second conductive member. An ionic liquid is positioned between the first electrode and the second electrode. In one aspect of the invention, the ionic liquid can include nanoparticles of metals or metal oxides. In a further aspect of the invention, the second conductive member and second electrode can be formed by a single material.

Claims

1. An electrochromic device, comprising:

a first substrate spaced from a second substrate;

a first conductive member formed over at least a portion on the first substrate;

a first electrochromic electrode comprising a tungsten oxide coating formed over at least a portion of the first conductive member;

a second conductive member formed over at least a portion of the second substrate;

a second electrochromic electrode formed over at least a portion of the second member; and

a conductive medium positioned between the first electrochromic electrode and the second electrochromic electrode, wherein the conductive medium consists of an ionic liquid, and nanoparticles selected from the group consisting of zinc oxide nanoparticles, tungsten oxide nanoparticles, and combinations thereof,

wherein the second conductive member and the second electrochromic electrode are formed by a single coating layer of indium tin oxide.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the first substrate and the second substrate each comprise glass.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the first conductive member comprises indium tin oxide.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the tungsten oxide coating has a thickness in the range of 200 nm to 300 nm.

5. The device of claim 1, where the first conductive member comprises a multi-layer structure.

6. An electrochromic device, comprising:

a first glass substrate spaced from a second glass substrate;

a first conductive member formed over at least a portion of the first substrate and comprising at least one of a conductive metal oxide or a multi-layer structure comprising metal oxide/metal/metal oxide;

a first electrochromic electrode comprising a tungsten oxide coating formed over at least a portion of the first conductive member and having a thickness in the range of 200 nm to 300 nm;

a second conductive member formed over at least a portion of the second substrate and comprising at least one of a conductive metal oxide or a multi-layer structure comprising metal oxide/metal/metal oxide;

a second electrochromic electrode formed over at least a portion of the second conductive member and comprising at least one of a conductive metal oxide or a conductive polymer; and

a conductive medium positioned between the first electrochromic electrode and the second electrochromic electrode, wherein the conductive medium consists of an ionic liquid, and nanoparticles selected from the group consisting of zinc oxide nanoparticles, tungsten oxide nanoparticles, and combinations thereof.

7. The electrochromic device of claim 6, wherein said first conductive member comprises said multi-layer structure comprising metal oxide/metal/metal oxide, and said second conductive member comprises said multi-layer structure comprising metal oxide/metal/metal oxide.

8. An electrochromic device, comprising:

a first glass substrate spaced from a second glass substrate;

a first conductive member formed over at least a portion of the first substrate and comprising at least one of a conductive metal oxide or a multi-layer structure comprising metal oxide/metal/metal oxide;

a first electrochromic electrode comprising a tungsten oxide coating formed over at least a portion of the first conductive member and having a thickness in the range of 200 nm to 300 nm;

a second conductive member formed over at least a portion of the second substrate and comprising at least one of a conductive metal oxide or a multi-layer structure comprising metal oxide/metal/metal oxide;

a second electrochromic electrode formed over at least a portion of the second conductive member and comprising at least one of a conductive metal oxide or a conductive polymer; and

a conducive medium positioned between the first electrochromic electrode and the second electrochromic electrode, wherein said conductive medium comprises, a porous membrane containing an ionic liquid comprising nanoparticles selected from zinc oxide nanoparticles, tungsten oxide nanoparticles, and combinations thereof.