Electrochromic display device

• US 4,773,740 A
• Filed: 10/21/1987
• Issued: 09/27/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Maxell Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Maxell Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Yokoyama, Kenichi, Manabe, Toshikatsu, Kawakami, Akira, Wada, Shuichi, Yamanaka, Kazusuke, Ohiwa, Tsunemi, Nonogaki, Saburo
• Primary Examiner(s): Laroche, Eugene R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US07/110,884
• Time in Patent Office: 342 Days
• Field of Search: 350/357, 350/355, 350/353, 340/785
• US Class Current: 359/270
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1525 characterised by a particular ion transporting layer, e.g. electrolyte

Abstract

An electrochromic display device which comprises a display electrode comprising a transparent substrate, a transparent electrode formed on an inner surface of the transparent substrate and an electrochromic material layer for display made of tungsten oxide and formed on the transparent electrode; a counter electrode comprising a substrate, a conductive layer formed on an inner surface of the substrate and an activated carbon fiber material; and a spacer provided between the display electrode and the counter electrode with their inner surfaces facing each other to define, between them, an electrolyte chamber, which is filled with an electrolyte comprising a lithium salt and at least one of the tertiary alkyl ammonium salts and quarternary alkyl ammonium slats dissolved in a non-aqueous medium containing a small amount of water, which device has increased original injected charge which can last for a long time.

Claims

1. An electrochromic display device which comprises:

a display electrode comprising,

a transparent electrode formed on an inner surface of the transparent substrate, and

an electrochromic material layer for display made of tungsten oxide and formed on the transparent electrode; and

a counter electrode comprising,

a substrate,

a conductive layer formed on an inner surface of the substrate, and

an activated carbon fiber material; and

a spacer provided between the display electrode and the counter electrode with their inner surfaces facing each other to define, between them, an electrolyte chamber, which is filled with an electrolyte comprising a lithium salt and at least one of tertiary alkyl ammonium salts and quarternary alkyl ammonium salts dissolved in a non-aqueous medium containing a small amount of water.

2. The electrochromic display device according to claim 1, wherein the lithium salt is one selected from the group consisting of LiClO₄, LiBF₄ and LiPF₆.

3. The electrochromic display device according to claim 2, wherein the lithium salt is LiClO₄.

4. The electrochromic display device according to claim 1, wherein the alkyl ammonium salt is at least one selected from the group consisting of (CH₃)₃ NHClO₄, (C₂ H₅)₃ NHClO₄, (C₃ H₇)₃ (C₃ H₇)₄ NClO₄.

5. The electrochromic display device according to claim 1, wherein the total amount of the lithium salt and the tertiary or quarternary alkyl ammonium compound is 0.3 to 1.5 moles per liter of the non-aqueous medium.

6. The electrochromic display device according to claim 1, wherein the amount of the lithium salt is 30 to 90% by mole based on the total amount of the lithium salt and the tertiary or quarternary alkyl ammonium compound.

7. The electrochromic display device according to claim 1, wherein the amount of water is 1% by weight or less based on the weight of the non-aqueous medium.