Complementary surface confined polymer electrochromic materials, systems, and methods of fabrication therefor

• US 5,457,564 A
• Filed: 04/05/1993
• Issued: 10/10/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: BioVeris Corporation (Roche Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Molecular Displays, Inc.
• Inventors: Leventis, Nicholas, Chung, Young C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nelms, David C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NIRANJAN, FRANK
• Application Number:
  US08/042,829
• Time in Patent Office: 918 Days
• Field of Search: 359/268, 359/269, 359/270, 359/273, 359/274, 250/208.2, 250/214 AL, 250/229, 250/231.1, 250/232
• US Class Current: 359/271
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 61/10 only aromatic carbon atoms, e.g. polyphenylenes
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 61/123 derived from five-membered heterocyclic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 73/0266 Polyanilines or derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 9/02 Organic tenebrescent materials
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 2/08 activated by an electric field, i.e. electrochemiluminescence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13324 Circuits comprising solar cells
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1503 caused by oxidation-reduction reactions in organic liquid solutions, e.g. viologen solutions
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/15165 Polymers
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1524 Transition metal compounds
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1525 characterised by a particular ion transporting layer, e.g. electrolyte
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/155 Electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2001/1502 complementary cell
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2001/1517 Cyano complex compounds, e.g. Prussian blue
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2001/1555 Counter electrode
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2001/1557 Side by side arrangements of working and counter electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/60 of organic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

Electrochromic device having electrode surface confined complementary polymer electrochromic materials, and materials, systems and methods of fabrication therefore. The electrochromic devices employ a polypyrrole-prussian blue composite material on the oxiatively coloring electrode, and a heteroaromatic substance containing at least one quaternized nitrogen atom group on the reductively coloring electrode. A bilayer material consisting substantially of metallic oxide which is conductive in at least one of its redox states and electroplated with a polymer is also disclosed for use as an electrochromic material on either the oxidatively colored or reductively colored electrodes. A method for electrodeposition of viologen polymers at a substantially neutral pH is also disclosed. A method for self-powering and self-modulating electrochromic devices by means of photovoltaic cells is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A light-powered and self-adjusting electrochromic device, comprising an at least partially transmissive electrochromic panel and a photovoltaic cell, said photovoltaic cell being arranged to be on the opposite side of said panel from the expected source of light and to face said expected source of light, said photovoltaic cell being electrically connected to said electrochromic panel in such a way that increased electrical output from said photovoltaic cell tends to increase the degree of coloration of said electrochromic panel, thereby tending to decrease the amount of light passing through said panel onto said photovoltaic cell.

2. Self-powering and light-powered electrochromic sunglasses comprising an at least partially transmissive lens including a coating of an electrochromic material thereon and a photovoltaic cell, said photovoltaic cell being disposed on the rear side thereof facing through said lens and being electrically connected to said electrochromic material coating on said lens in such a way that increased electrical output from said photovoltaic cell tends to increase the degree of coloration of said electrochromic material, thereby tending to decrease the amount of light passing through said lens onto said photovoltaic cell.

3. A self-powering and light-powered electrochromic window comprising an at least partially transmissive panel including a coating of an electrochromic material thereon and a photovoltaic cell, said photovoltaic cell being disposed on the inside of said panel and facing the expected source of light through said panel and being electrically connected to said electrochromic material coating on said panel in such a way that increased electrical output from said photovoltaic cell tends to increase the degree of coloration of said electrochromic material, thereby tending to decrease the amount of light passing through said panel onto said photovoltaic cell.

4. A self-powering and light-powered electrochromic mirror comprising an at least partially transmissive panel having a coating of an at least partially reflective metallic material, a coating of an electrochromic material and a photovoltaic cell disposed behind at least a portion of said panel and said coating of said electrochromic material, but not concealed by said at least partially reflective metallic material so that it will receive light passing through said electrochromic material coating, said photovoltaic cell being electrically connected to said the electrochromic material coating on said panel in such a way that increased electrical output from said photovoltaic cell tends to increase the degree of coloration of said electrochromic material, thereby tending to decrease the amount of light passing through said electrochromic material and onto said photovoltaic cell.