Electrochromic materials and displays

• US 5,742,424 A
• Filed: 01/03/1997
• Issued: 04/21/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Monsanto Company (Bayer AG)
• Original Assignee: Monsanto Company (Bayer AG)
• Inventors: Coleman, James P.
• Primary Examiner(s): YOON, TAE H
• Application Number:
  US08/778,703
• Time in Patent Office: 473 Days
• Field of Search: 359/273, 359/265, 359/270, 359/275, 427/58
• US Class Current: 359/273
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 9/00 Tenebrescent materials, i.e. materials for which the range of wavelengths for energy absorption is changed as a result of excitation by some form of energy
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 9/02 Organic tenebrescent materials
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/15165 Polymers
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1524 Transition metal compounds
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1533 structural features not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/155 Electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2001/1517 Cyano complex compounds, e.g. Prussian blue
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2001/1557 Side by side arrangements of working and counter electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2202/022 polymeric
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2202/36 Micro- or nanomaterials
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 1/08 oxides
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 1/20 Conductive material dispersed in non-conductive organic material organic macromolecular compounds or compositions C08
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 1/22 the conductive material comprising metals or alloys
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 1/24 the conductive material comprising carbon-silicon compounds, carbon or silicon

Abstract

Dispersions of electrically conductive particles useful for preparing electrically conductive, essentially ionically isolative composite layers having electrically conductive particles dispersed in a polymer matrix. Composite layers can be used in laminates for electrochromic displays where an ionically conductive layer is in contact with electrochromic material. Such displays comprise means for applying an electrical potential across the interface of the ionically conductive layer and the electrochromic material to generate an electrochromic effect at the interface. Electrochromic materials can be provided in the laminates as layers between the ionically conductive layer and the composite layer of electrically conductive particles dispersed in a polymer matrix. Alternatively, the electrochromic material can be incorporated in the conductive particles in the polymer matrix, e.g. as titanium dioxide coated with antimony tin oxide coated with polyaniline dispersed in an light transmitting polymer matrix. The materials of this invention allow for the high speed fabrication of flexible displays, e.g. by printing methods.

Claims

1. A method for fabricating flexible electrochromic displays comprising:

(a) forming electrodes in a pattern on a flexible substrate,

(b) coating said electrodes with electrically conductive, essentially ionically isolative material in a layer comprising one or more areas wherein said ionically isolative layer comprises a transparent or translucent matrix having dispersed electroconductive particles comprising mineral particles coated with electrically conductive metal oxide and an electrochromic material, and

(c) providing an interface by applying a layer of ionically conductive material, whereby when an electrical potential is applied across the interface, an electrochromic effect is generated.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein said electroconductive particles comprise titanium dioxide particles coated with electrically conductive doped tin oxide and electrochromic material.