Variable transmission electrochromic window and associated aircraft window system

• US 8,885,242 B2
• Filed: 04/11/2014
• Issued: 11/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Inventors: Guarr, Thomas F., Theiste, David A., Ash, Kevin L., Driscoll, David I., Luten, Henry A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jones, James
• Application Number:
  US14/251,121
• Publication Number:
  US 20140268289A1
• Time in Patent Office: 214 Days
• Field of Search: 359/273
• US Class Current: 359/273
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1503 caused by oxidation-reduction reactions in organic liquid solutions, e.g. viologen solutions
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1506 caused by electrodeposition, e.g. electrolytic deposition of an inorganic material on or close to an electrode
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/15165 Polymers
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1533 structural features not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2001/15145 the electrochromic layer comprises a mixture of anodic and cathodic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2001/1518 Ferrocene compounds

Abstract

A variable transmission electrochromic window including: first and second substantially transparent substrates having electrically conductive materials 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 electroactive material, at least one cathodic electroactive material, and wherein at least one of the anodic and cathodic electroactive materials is electrochromic; and wherein the electrochromic window exhibits an E_v of less than approximately 20, and more preferably less than approximately 5, while in a low transmission state during normal daylight conditions.

Claims

1. A variable transmission electrochromic window, comprising:

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

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

an electrochromic medium contained within a chamber positioned between the first and second substrates, the electrochromic medium comprising;

a solvent;

an anodic electroactive material;

a cathodic electroactive material; and

a cross-linked polymer matrix;

wherein;

at least one of the anodic and cathodic electroactive materials is electrochromic; and

the electrochromic window exhibits an E_v of less than approximately 20 while in a low transmission state during normal daylight conditions.

2. The variable transmission electrochromic window of claim 1, wherein the electrochromic window exhibits an E_v of less than approximately 10 while in a low transmission state during normal daylight conditions.

3. The variable transmission electrochromic window of claim 1, wherein the electrochromic window exhibits an E_v of less than approximately 5 while in a low transmission state during normal daylight conditions.

4. The variable transmission electrochromic window of claim 1, wherein the window is an aircraft window.

5. The variable transmission electrochromic window of claim 1, wherein the electrochromic medium further comprises an anodic color-stabilizing redox buffer, a cathodic color-stabilizing redox buffer, or a mixture of an anodic color-stabilizing redox buffer and a cathodic color-stabilizing redox buffer.

6. The variable transmission electrochromic window of claim 1, wherein the electrochromic medium further comprises a mixture of an anodic color-stabilizing redox buffer and a cathodic color-stabilizing redox buffer.

7. The variable transmission electrochromic window of claim 1, wherein a concentration of the cathodic electroactive material is greater than a concentration of the anodic electroactive material.

8. The variable transmission electrochromic window of claim 1, wherein the cathodic electroactive material comprises a viologen.

9. The variable transmission electrochromic window of claim 8, wherein:

the viologen comprises a 1,1′

-dialkyl-4,4′

-dipyridinium compound; and

at least one alkyl group of the dialkyl comprises at least 4 carbon atoms and includes less than 2 β

hydrogen atoms.

10. The variable transmission electrochromic window of claim 1, wherein the anodic electroactive material comprises a phenazine.

11. The variable transmission electrochromic window of claim 10, wherein:

the phenazine comprises a 5,10-dialkyl-5,10-dihydrophenazine compound; and

at least one alkyl group of the dialkyl comprises at least 4 carbon atoms and is void of any β

hydrogen atoms.

12. The variable transmission electrochromic window of claim 10, wherein the phenazine comprises at least one neopentyl group.

13. The variable transmission electrochromic window of claim 1, wherein the first substantially transparent substrate and the second substantially transparent substrate are less than approximately 1.0 mm thick.

14. The variable transmission electrochromic window of claim 1, wherein the first substantially transparent substrate and the second substantially transparent substrate are from about 0.65 mm to 1.0 mm thick.

15. A variable transmission electrochromic window, comprising:

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

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

an electrochromic medium contained within a chamber positioned between the first and second substrates, the electrochromic medium comprising;

a solvent;

an anodic electroactive material; and

a cathodic electroactive material;

wherein;

at least one of the anodic and cathodic electroactive materials is electrochromic;

the electrochromic window exhibits an E_v of less than about 20 while in a low transmission state during normal daylight conditions; and

the first substantially transparent substrate, the second substantially transparent substrate, or both the first substantially transparent substrate and the second substantially transparent substrate are less than about 1.0 mm thick.

16. The variable transmission electrochromic window of claim 15, wherein the electrochromic window exhibits an E_v of less than about 10 while in a low transmission state during normal daylight conditions.

17. The variable transmission electrochromic window of claim 15, wherein the electrochromic window exhibits an E_v of less than about 5 while in a low transmission state during normal daylight conditions.

18. The variable transmission electrochromic window of claim 15, wherein the window is an aircraft window.

19. The variable transmission electrochromic window of claim 15, wherein the electrochromic medium further comprises a cross-linked polymer matrix.

20. The variable transmission electrochromic window of claim 15, wherein the electrochromic medium further comprises an anodic color-stabilizing redox buffer, a cathodic color-stabilizing redox buffer, or a mixture of an anodic color-stabilizing redox buffer and a cathodic color-stabilizing redox buffer.

21. The variable transmission electrochromic window of claim 15, wherein the first substantially transparent substrate and the second substantially transparent substrate are from about 0.65 mm to 1.0 mm thick.