Color-stabilized electrochromic devices

• US 20040240028A1
• Filed: 02/18/2004
• Published: 12/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jeffrey R. Lomprey, Thomas F. Guarr
• Original Assignee: Jeffrey R. Lomprey, Thomas F. Guarr
• Inventors: Guarr, Thomas F., Lomprey, Jeffrey R.
• Granted Patent: US 6,876,478 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/265
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 9/02 Organic tenebrescent materials
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1503 caused by oxidation-reduction reactions in organic liquid solutions, e.g. viologen solutions
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1525 characterised by a particular ion transporting layer, e.g. electrolyte
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2001/1502 complementary cell
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2001/15145 the electrochromic layer comprises a mixture of anodic and cathodic compounds

Abstract

An electrochromic medium for use in a normally operating electrochromic device comprising an anodic material and a cathodic material wherein both of the anodic and cathodic materials are electroactive and at least one of the anodic and cathodic materials is electrochromic, an additive, and means associated with the additive for maintaining a colorless or nearly colorless electrochromic medium while the electrochromic medium is in a high transmission state relative to an electrochromic medium without the additive.

Claims

1-30. -30. (canceled).

31. An electrochromic medium, comprising:

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

an additive, wherein the additive is more easily reduced than the cathodic material, and wherein the additive substantially precludes the formation of a residual reduced cathodic material while the electrochromic medium is in a high transmission state; and

wherein the electrochromic medium comprises a cross-linked polymer matrix.

32. The electrochromic medium according to claim 31, wherein the additive comprises an oxidized form of the anodic material.

33. The electrochromic medium according to claim 31, wherein the additive comprises an additional material present in an oxidized form.

34. The electrochromic medium according to claim 31, wherein the additive is selected from the group comprising ferrocinium salts, substituted ferrocinium salts, phenazinium salts, substituted phenazinium salts, and mixtures thereof.

35. 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

the electrochromic medium according to claim 31 contained within a chamber positioned between the first and second substrates.

36. The electrochromic device according to claim 35, wherein the device is an electrochromic window.

37. The electrochromic device according to claim 35, wherein the second substrate is coated with a reflective material.

38. The electrochromic device according to claim 37, wherein the device is an electrochromic mirror.

39. The electrochromic device according to claim 35, wherein a first surface of the second substrate is coated with a reflective material.

40. The electrochromic device according to claim 39, wherein the device is an electrochromic mirror.

41. An electrochromic medium, comprising:

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

an additive, wherein the additive comprises a reduced form of the cathodic material; and

wherein the electrochromic medium comprises a cross-linked polymer matrix.

42. The electrochromic medium according to claim 41, wherein the additive substantially precludes the formation of a residual oxidized anodic material while the electrochromic medium is in a high transmission state.

43. 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

the electrochromic medium according to claim 41 contained within a chamber positioned between the first and second substrates.

44. The electrochromic device according to claim 43, wherein the device is an electrochromic window.

45. The electrochromic device according to claim 43, wherein the second substrate is coated with a reflective material.

46. The electrochromic device according to claim 45, wherein the device is an electrochromic mirror.

47. The electrochromic device according to claim 43, wherein a first surface of the second substrate is coated with a reflective material.

48. The electrochromic device according to claim 47, wherein the device is an electrochromic mirror.

49. An electrochromic medium, comprising:

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

an additive, wherein the additive is more easily oxidized than the anodic material, and wherein the additive substantially precludes the formation of a residual oxidized anodic material while the electrochromic medium is in a high transmission state, said additive being selected from the group comprising substituted ferrocenes, substituted ferrocenyl salts, and mixtures thereof, and

wherein the electrochromic medium comprises a cross-linked polymer matrix.

50. 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

the electrochromic medium according to claim 49 contained within a chamber positioned between the first and second substrates.

51. The electrochromic device according to claim 50, wherein the device is an electrochromic window.

52. The electrochromic device according to claim 50, wherein the second substrate is coated with a reflective material.

53. The electrochromic device according to claim 52, wherein the device is an electrochromic mirror.

54. The electrochromic device according to claim 50, wherein a first surface of the second substrate is coated with a reflective material.

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

56. An electrochromic medium, comprising:

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

an additive, wherein the additive comprises;

a first component that is more easily reduced than the cathodic material; and

a second component that is more easily oxidized than the anodic material; and

wherein the electrochromic medium comprises a cross-linked polymer matrix.

57. The electrochromic medium according to claim 56, wherein the first component substantially precludes the formation of a residual reduced cathodic material and the second component substantially precludes the formation of a residual oxidized anodic material while the electrochromic medium is in a high transmission state.

58. 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

the electrochromic medium according to claim 56 contained within a chamber positioned between the first and second substrates.

59. The electrochromic device according to claim 58, wherein the device is an electrochromic window.

60. The electrochromic device according to claim 58, wherein the second substrate is coated with a reflective material.

61. The electrochromic device according to claim 60, wherein the device is an electrochromic mirror.

62. The electrochromic device according to claim 58, wherein a first surface of the second substrate is coated with a reflective material.

63. The electrochromic device according to claim 62, wherein the device is an electrochromic mirror.

64. An electrochromic medium, comprising:

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

an additive and means associated with the additive for maintaining a nearly colorless electrochromic medium while the electrochromic medium is in a high transmission state relative to an electrochromic medium without the additive; and

wherein the electrochromic medium comprises a cross-linked polymer matrix.

65. The electrochromic medium according to claim 64, wherein the nearly colorless electrochromic medium maintaining means comprises the additive being more easily reduced than the cathodic material.

66. The electrochromic medium according to claim 64, wherein the nearly colorless electrochromic medium maintaining means comprises the additive being a reduced form of the cathodic material.

67. The electrochromic medium according to claim 64, wherein the nearly colorless electrochromic medium maintaining means comprises the additive being more easily oxidized than the anodic material, said additive being selected from the group comprising substituted ferrocenes, substituted ferrocenyl salts, and mixtures thereof.

68. The electrochromic medium according to claim 64, wherein the nearly colorless electrochromic medium maintaining means comprises the additive having a first component and a second component wherein,

the first component is more easily reduced than the cathodic material;

and

the second component is more easily oxidized than the anodic material.

69. 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

the electrochromic medium according to claim 64 contained within a chamber positioned between the first and second substrates.

70. The electrochromic device according to claim 69, wherein the device is an electrochromic window.

71. The electrochromic device according to claim 69, wherein the second substrate is coated with a reflective material.

72. The electrochromic device according to claim 71, wherein the device is an electrochromic mirror.

73. The electrochromic device according to claim 69, wherein a first surface of the second substrate is coated with a reflective material.

74. The electrochromic device according to claim 73, wherein the device is an electrochromic mirror.