Electrochromic nickel oxide simultaneously doped with lithium and a metal dopant

• US 10,514,581 B2
• Filed: 04/05/2017
• Issued: 12/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alliance For Sustainable Energy LLC
• Original Assignee: Sage Electrochromics, Inc (Compagnie de Saint-Gobain SA)
• Inventors: Gillaspie, Dane T., Weir, Douglas G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Choudhury, Mustak
• Application Number:
  US15/479,942
• Publication Number:
  US 20170269449A1
• Time in Patent Office: 993 Days
• Field of Search: 359265, 359267, 359269, 359270, 359273, 359275, 4235942, 4235944, 4235946, 4235948, 42359412, 423598, 427 77, 427523, 427524, 427529, 429188, 429496
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 9/00 Tenebrescent materials, i.e. materials for which the range of wavelengths for energy absorption is changed as a result of excitation by some form of energy
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1524 Transition metal compounds
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/155 Electrodes

Abstract

An electrochromic device comprising a counter electrode layer comprised of lithium metal oxide which provides a high transmission in the fully intercalated state and which is capable of long-term stability, is disclosed. Methods of making an electrochromic device comprising such a counter electrode are also disclosed.

Claims

1. An electrochromic device comprising:

a first electrode comprising one of an electrochromic layer or a counter electrode layer;

a second electrode comprising other of the electrochromic layer or the counter electrode layer, wherein the counter electrode layer has a bleached state optical absorption of less than 0.5 μ

m<sup>−

1</sup> at an optical wavelength of 450 nm;

wherein the counter electrode layer comprises at least one mixed oxide having a formula

Li_xNi(II)_1-yNi(III)_yM(A)_zO_a, where;

M is a metal other than Li and Ni;

A is the most favorable oxidation state of the metal and is IV;

1≤

x≤

10;

0≤

y≤

1;

0<

z≤

1; and

0<

a≤

10.

2. The electrochromic device of claim 1, wherein M(A) includes Ti(IV), Zr(IV), or Hf(IV).

3. The electrochromic device of claim 1, wherein:

1≤

x≤

4; and

0.15≤

z≤

1.

4. The electrochromic device of claim 3, wherein:

1.5≤

x≤

3.

5. The electrochromic device of claim 1, wherein a is within 30% of (1+0.5x+0.5y+2z).

6. The electrochromic device of claim 1, wherein the counter electrode layer has a b* value below 8 in CIE-defined L*a*b* color coordinates.

7. The electrochromic device of claim 1, wherein an electrochromic efficiency of the electrochromic device is in a range of 10 cm²/C to 80 cm²/C.

8. The electrochromic device of claim 1, wherein the counter electrode layer includes Li₂O₂.

9. An electrochromic device comprising:

a first electrode comprising one of an electrochromic layer or a counter electrode layer;

a second electrode comprising other of the electrochromic layer or the counter electrode layer, wherein an electrochromic efficiency of the electrochromic device is in a range of 10 cm²/C to 80 cm²/C;

wherein the counter electrode layer comprises at least one mixed oxide having a formula

Li_xNi(II)_1-yNi(III)_yM(A)_zO_a, where;

M is a metal other than Li and Ni;

A is the most favorable oxidation state of the metal and is V;

1≤

x≤

10;

0≤

y≤

1;

0<

z≤

1; and

0<

a≤

10.

10. The electrochromic device of claim 9, wherein M(A) includes V(V), Nb(V), Sb(V), or Ta(V).

11. The electrochromic device of claim 9, wherein:

1<

x≤

4; and

0.15≤

z≤

1.

12. The electrochromic device of claim 11, wherein:

1.5≤

x≤

3.

13. The electrochromic device of claim 9, wherein a is within 30% of (1+0.5x+0.5y+2.5z).

14. The electrochromic device of claim 9, wherein the counter electrode layer has a b* value below 8 in CIE-defined L*a*b* color coordinates.

15. The electrochromic device of claim 9, wherein the counter electrode layer has a bleached state optical absorption of less than 0.5 μ

m<sup>−

1</sup> at an optical wavelength of 450 nm.

16. An electrochromic device comprising:

a first electrode comprising one of an electrochromic layer or a counter electrode layer;

a second electrode comprising other of the electrochromic layer or the counter electrode layer;

wherein the counter electrode layer comprises at least one mixed oxide having a formula

Li_xNi(II)_1-yNi(III)_yM_zO_a, where;

M is a metal other than Li and Ni;

1≤

x≤

10;

0≤

z≤

1; and

0<

z≤

1; and

0<

a≤

10; and

wherein in a bleached state, the counter electrode layer has;

(1) a b* value below 8 in CIE-defined L*a*b* color coordinates;

(2) an optical absorption of less than 0.5 μ

m<sup>−

1</sup> at an optical wavelength of 450 nm;

or

both (1) and (2).

17. The electrochromic device of claim 16, wherein in the bleached state, the counter electrode layer has a b* value below 8 in CIE-defined L*a*b* color coordinates.

18. The electrochromic device of claim 16, wherein in the bleached state, the counter electrode layer has an optical absorption of less than 0.5 μ

m<sup>−

1</sup> at an optical wavelength of 450 nm.