Electrochromic device

• US 20060139725A1
• Filed: 12/29/2004
• Published: 06/29/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Tsinghua Nano-Technology Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Tsinghua Nano-Technology Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Chen, Fu-Rong, Liao, Chia-Ching, Kai, Ji-Jung, Cheng, Keng-Che
• Application Number:
  US11/027,462
• Publication Number:
  US 20060139725A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/265
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1524 Transition metal compounds
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2001/1536 additional, e.g. protective, layer inside the cell

Abstract

A method of manufacturing an electrochromic device, which includes the steps of: (a) forming a plurality of nano-electrochromic elements on a transparent conductor of a transparent conductor substrate, wherein the nano-electrochromic elements are bonded together to form an electrochromic layer on the transparent conductor substrate so as to define a reaction surface of the electrochromic layer; (b) applying an electrolyte on the electrochromic layer; and (c) electrolyzing the electrolyte such that ions in the electrolyte are displaced into the electrochromic layer through the reaction surface thereof to alter an optical characteristic of the electrochromic elements.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing an electrochromic device, comprising the steps of:

(a) forming a plurality of nano-electrochromic elements on a transparent conductor substrate, wherein said nano-electrochromic elements are bonded together to form an electrochromic layer on said transparent conductor substrate so as to define a reaction surface of said electrochromic layer;

(b) applying an electrolyte on said electrochromic layer; and

(c) electrolyzing said electrolyte such that ions in said electrolyte are displaced into said electrochromic layer through said reaction surface thereof to alter an optical characteristic of said electrochromic elements.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, in step (a), further comprising the steps of:

(a.1) applying a predetermined amount of electrochromic powders on a crucible for source terminal;

(a.2) disposing said electrochromic powders and said crucible at a high temperature zone in a gas chamber, and said transparent conductor substrate at a low temperature zone of said gas chamber, wherein said gas chamber is filled with a carrying gas at a predetermined pressure; and

(a.3) heat treating said electrochromic powders to evaporate at an elevated temperature for a predetermined period of time for growing said nano-electrochromic elements in an interweaving manner on said transparent conductor substrate so as to form said electrochromic layer that said respective reaction surface is defined as outer surface areas of said nano-electrochromic elements.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, in step (b), further comprising the steps of:

(b.1) applying an insulating layer on said transparent conductor substrate to enclose said electrochromic layer within said insulating layer, wherein said insulating layer has an electrolyte opening communicating said electrochromic layer with an exterior of said transparent conductor substrate;

(b.2) applying said electrolyte on said electrochromic layer through said electrolyte opening; and

(b.3) sealing said electrolyte opening to enclose said electrolyte between said electrochromic layer and said insulating layer.

4. The method as recited in claim 2, in step (b), further comprising the steps of:

(b.1) applying an insulating layer on said transparent conductor substrate to enclose said electrochromic layer within said insulating layer, wherein said insulating layer has an electrolyte opening communicating said electrochromic layer with an exterior of said transparent conductor substrate;

(b.2) applying said electrolyte on said electrochromic layer through said electrolyte opening; and

(b.3) sealing said electrolyte opening to enclose said electrolyte between said electrochromic layer and said insulating layer.

5. The method, as recited in claim 2, wherein said electrochromic powders are made of material selected from transition oxide groups of tungsten oxide, molybdenum oxide, vanadium oxide and other transition metal oxides.

6. The method, as recited in claim 3, wherein said electrochromic powders are made of material selected from transition oxide groups of tungsten oxide, molybdenum oxide, vanadium oxide and other transition metal oxides.

7. The method, as recited in claim 4, wherein said electrochromic powders are made of material selected from a transition oxides group of tungsten oxide, molybdenum oxide, and vanadium oxide.

8. The method, as recited in claim 1, wherein said electrolyte is made of material selected from LiClO₄ in propylene carbonate, and poly 2-acrylamido-2-methyl proane sulfonic acid.

9. The method, as recited in claim 6, wherein said electrolyte is made of material selected from LiClO₄ in propylene carbonate, and poly 2-acrylamido-2-methyl proane sulfonic acid.

10. The method, as recited in claim 7, wherein said electrolyte is made of material selected from LiClO₄ in propylene carbonate, and poly 2-acrylamido-2-methyl proane sulfonic acid.

11. An electrochromic device, comprising:

first and second transparent conductor substrate;

an electrochromic layer formed on said transparent conductor substrate, wherein said electrochromic layer comprises a plurality of nano-electrochromic elements bonded together to define a reaction surface of said electrochromic layer; and

an electrolyte applied on said electrochromic layer such that ions in said electrolyte are displaced into said electrochromic layer through said reaction surface thereof to alter said optical characteristic of said electrochromic layer when said transparent conductor substrate is subject to a predetermined potential difference.

12. The electrochromic device, as recited in claim 11, wherein said electrochromic layer further comprises a predetermined amount of electrochromic powders applied on said crucible such that when said crucible is heated up at an elevated temperature, said electrochromic powders are transformed into said nano-electrochromic elements in an interweaving manner on said transparent conductor substrate so as to form said electrochromic layer that said respective reaction surface is defined as outer surface areas of said nano-electrochromic elements.

13. The electrochromic device, as recited in claim 11, wherein said electrochromic powders are made of material selected from transition oxide groups of tungsten oxide, molybdenum oxide, vanadium oxides, titanium oxide, niobium oxide, cerium oxide, cobalt oxide, tantalum oxide, chromium oxide, manganese oxide, iron oxide, ruthenium oxide, rhodium oxide, and iridium oxide.

14. The electrochromic device, as recited in claim 12, wherein said electrochromic powders are made of material selected from transition oxide groups of tungsten trioxides, molybdenum oxide, vanadium oxide, titanium oxide, niobium oxide, cerium oxide, cobalt oxide, tantalum oxide, chromium oxide, manganese oxide, iron oxide, ruthenium oxide, rhodium oxide, iridium oxide.

15. The electrochromic device, as recited in claim 11, wherein said electrolyte is made of material selected from LiCIO₄ in propylene carbonate, and poly 2-acrylamido-2-methyl proane sulfonic acid.

16. The electrochromic device, as recited in claim 13, wherein said electrolyte is made of material selected from LiCIO₄ in propylene carbonate, and poly 2-acrylamido-2-methyl proane sulfonic acid.

17. The electrochromic device, as recited in claim 14, wherein said electrolyte is made of material selected from of LiClO₄ in propylene carbonate, and poly 2 -acrylamido-2-methyl proane sulfonic acid.

18. The electrochromic device, as recited in claim 16, further comprising an insulating layer formed on said electrochromic layer to sealedly enclose said electrolyte between said electrochromic layer and said insulating layer.

19. The electrochromic device, as recited in claim 17, further comprising an insulating layer formed on said electrochromic layer to sealedly enclose said electrolyte between said electrochromic layer and said insulating layer.

20. The electrochromic device, as recited in claim 11, wherein said electrochromic layer is manufactured by the steps of:

(a.1) applying a predetermined amount of electrochromic powders on a crucible for source terminal;

(a.2) disposing said electrochromic powders and said crucible at a high temperature zone in a gas chamber, and said transparent conductor substrate at a low temperature zone of said gas chamber, wherein said gas chamber is filled with a carrying gas at a predetermined pressure; and

(a.3) heat treating said electrochromic powders to evaporate at an elevated temperature for a predetermined period of time for growing said nano-electrochromic elements in an interweaving manner on said transparent conductor substrate so as to form said electrochromic layer that said respective reaction surface is defined as outer surface areas of said nano-electrochromic elements.