ELECTROCHROMIC DEVICE AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING ELECTROCHROMIC DEVICE

• US 20150355519A1
• Filed: 06/09/2014
• Published: 12/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vitro Flat Glass LLC (Compagnie De Saint-Gobain)
• Original Assignee: iGlass Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Vasiliev, Evgeniy Vladimirovich, Borisov, Sergey Olegovich, Zaikin, Pavel Anatolievich, Kruglikov, Nikita Valerievich
• Granted Patent: US 10,344,208 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 11/00634 Production of filters
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/15 based on an electrochromic effect
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/15165 Polymers
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/155 Electrodes

Abstract

The invention relates to devices that provide a color change under the influence of an electric voltage, in particular to an electrochromic device and a method for manufacturing such a device. Disclosed is the method for manufacturing an electrochromic device comprising at least two electrodes that are flexible and optically transparent with a hermetically closed space between the electrodes filled with an electrochromic composition that may contain transparent and insoluble microparticles that function as spacers.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing an electrochromic device comprising at least two flexible electrodes and a hermetically closed space between the at least two flexible electrodes, at least one of the at least two flexible electrodes being optically transparent, wherein the hermetically closed space between the at least two flexible electrodes is filled with an electrochromic composition, the method comprising:

(1) preparing an initial deaerated eletrochromic composition in the form of an electrochromic dispersion system containing at least one of a suspension and a colloid, wherein a dispersion medium of the electrochromic dispersion system comprises an electrochromic solution comprising a liquid solvent, a cathodic component, an anodic component, a polymerizable low-shrinkage monomer or a monomer mixture, and a polymerization thermal activator, wherein the dispersion phase consists of a highly dispersible polymer, and wherein the initial electrochromic composition is deaerated to remove the dissolved oxygen of air that were introduced with the highly dispersible polymer;

(2) filling the hermetically closed space between the at least two flexible electrodes with the deaerated initial electrochromic composition, and (3) sealing the hermetically closed space between the at least two flexible electrodes.

2. The method for manufacturing an electrochromic device of claim 1, wherein the electrochromic solution further comprises an indifferent electrolyte.

3. The method for manufacturing an electrochromic device of claim 1, wherein the highly dispersed polymer is provided in an amount sufficient to form a solid layer of the electrochromic composition, which is characterized by a lack of volumetric shrinkage during a dissolution of the highly dispersed polymer in the electrochromic solution over a wide temperature range.

4. The method for manufacturing an electrochromic device of claim 1, wherein the low-shrinkage monomer is provided in an amount sufficient to achieve formation of a solid layer, which is formed after a polymerization of the low-shrinkage monomer or a monomer mixture in presence of the highly dispersible polymer.

5. The method for manufacturing an electrochromic device of claim 1, wherein the polymerization thermal activator is provided in an amount necessary for a thermal activation of the low-shrinkage monomer or a monomer mixture.

6. The method for manufacturing an electrochromic device of claim 1, wherein the liquid solvent is a chemical compound or mixture of chemical compounds.

7. The method for manufacturing an electrochromic device of claim 1, wherein the cathodic component is an individual organic electrochromic compound having at polarograms at least one reversible reduction wave.

8. The method for manufacturing an electrochromic device of claim 1, wherein the anodic component is an individual organic electrochromic compound having at polarograms at least one reversible oxidation wave.

9. The method for manufacturing an electrochromic device of claim 1, wherein the electrochromic composition further comprises a plurality of transparent insoluble microparticles for providing a predetermined distance between the at least two flexible electrodes.

10. The method for manufacturing an electrochromic device of claim 9, wherein the transparent insoluble microparticles are selected so that they have a refractive index as close as possible to the refractive index of the electrochromic composition.

11. The method for manufacturing an electrochromic device of claim 9, wherein the transparent insoluble microparticles have dimensions ranging from 20 μ

m to 200 μ

m.

12. The method for manufacturing an electrochromic device of claim 9, wherein the transparent insoluble microparticles are evenly distributed over a volume occupied by the electrochromic composition.

13. The method for manufacturing an electrochromic device of claim 1, wherein the deaeration of the initial electrochromic composition for removing dissolved oxygen and air introduced with the highly dispersed polymer is carried out by evacuation.

14. The method for manufacturing an electrochromic device of claim 1, wherein the at least two flexible electrodes comprise polymeric substrates coated on one side thereof with a transparent electrically conductive layer of doped indium oxide (In₂O₃) or doped tin oxide (SnO₂).

15. The method for manufacturing an electrochromic device of claim 14, wherein the polymeric substrates are polyethylene terephthalate substrates.

16. The method for manufacturing an electrochromic device of claim 14, wherein the at least two flexible electrodes are hermetically bonded around the perimeter so that the transparent electrically conductive layer is located within a closed space defined between the at least two flexible electrodes.

17. The method for manufacturing an electrochromic device of claim 16, wherein the bond between the at least two flexible electrodes comprises a spacer to provide a predetermined distance between the at least two flexible electrodes.

18. The method for manufacturing an electrochromic device of claim 15, wherein along longest sides of the at least two flexible electrodes there are provided busbars.

19. An electrochromic device comprising at least two flexible electrodes and a hermetically closed space between the at least two flexible electrodes, at least one of the at least two flexible electrodes being optically transparent, wherein the hermetically closed space between the at least two flexible electrodes is filled with an electrochromic composition, the electrochromic device being manufactured by a method comprising:

(1) preparing an initial deaerated eletrochromic composition in the form of an electrochromic dispersion system containing at least one of a suspension and a colloid, wherein a dispersion medium of the electrochromic dispersion system comprises an electrochromic solution comprising a liquid solvent, a cathodic component, an anodic component, a polymerizable low-shrinkage monomer or a monomer mixture, and a polymerization thermal activator, wherein the dispersion phase consists of a highly dispersible polymer, and wherein the initial electrochromic composition is deaerated to remove the dissolved oxygen of air that were introduced with the highly dispersible polymer;

(2) filling the hermetically closed space between the at least two flexible electrodes with the deaerated initial electrochromic composition, and (3) sealing the hermetically closed space between the at least two flexible electrodes.

20. The electrochromic device of claim 19, wherein the electrochromic solution further comprises an indifferent electrolyte.