Electrochromic devices

• US 6,178,034 B1
• Filed: 06/23/1999
• Issued: 01/23/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Cronin, John P., Ingle, Andrew R., Grimes, Randall F., Allemand, Pierre M., Kennedy, Steve R., Agrawal, Anoop, Boulton, Jonathan M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mack, Ricky
• Application Number:
  US09/155,601
• Time in Patent Office: 580 Days
• Field of Search: 359/265, 359/266, 359/267, 359/269, 359/270, 359/272, 359/273, 359/274
• US Class Current: 359/265
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1503 caused by oxidation-reduction reactions in organic liquid solutions, e.g. viologen solutions
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1525 characterised by a particular ion transporting layer, e.g. electrolyte
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2001/1536 additional, e.g. protective, layer inside the cell

Abstract

An electrochromic device is disclosed having a selective ion transport layer which separates an electrochemically active material from an electrolyte containing a redox active material. The devices are particularly useful as large area architectural and automotive glazings due to there reduced back reaction.

Claims

1. An electrochromic device comprising a conducting electrode opposing a counter electrode with (i) an electrochemically active material layer, (ii) a selective ion transport layer and (iii) an electrolyte containing at least one redox active material, wherein said electrochemically active material layer, said selective ion transport layer and said electrolyte are sequentially disposed between said conducting electrode and said counter conducting electrode and at least one of said electrodes is transparent.

2. An electrochromic device according to claim 1, further comprising a first substrate disposed on an outwardly facing surface of one of said electrodes and a second substrate disposed on an other outwardly facing surface of said electrodes, wherein at least one of said substrates is transparent.

3. An electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the electrochemically active material layer or the redox active material is electrochromic.

4. An electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein said electrolyte contains at least one ionic material.

5. An electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein the electrolyte contains a mixture of salts having different cations or anions.

6. An electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein the electrolyte contains water.

7. An electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein the redox active material is a viologen salt, ferrocene or derivatives thereof.

8. An electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein the selective ion transport layer is comprised of a selective ion transport material selected from the group consisting of hydrated oxides, non-hydrated oxides, polycerams, or ion-conducting polymers.

9. An electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein the selective ion transport layer is comprised of a selective ion transparent material that is a sulfonic acid containing polymer.

10. An electrochromic device according to claim 9, wherein protons of said sulfonic acid containing polymer are at least partially replaced by at least one of lithium ions or sodium ions.

11. An electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein the electrochemically active material layer contains an additive selected from group consisting of UV stabilizers, adhesion promoting agents, heat stabilizers and mixtures thereof.

12. An electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein the electrolyte contains an additive selected from group consisting of UV stabilizers, heat stabilizers and mixtures thereof.

13. An electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein the electrolyte is comprised of a mixture of at least two solvents.

14. An electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein the electrolyte contains a passive visible or infrared dye.

15. An electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein the electrolyte is comprised of an inert polymeric additive.

16. An electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein the electrolyte is comprised of a solid polymeric material.

17. An electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein the electrolyte is comprised of at least one monomer which is polymerizable to a solid after exposure to heat or radiation.

18. An electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein the electrolyte contains at least one additive selected from the group consisting of inert organic oxide fillers, inorganic sulfate fillers, inorganic carbonate fillers, inorganic pigments, organic pigments, surfactants and dispersing agents.

19. An electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein the electrochemically active material layer is electrochromic.

20. An electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein the electrochemically active material layer is selected from the group consisting of an inorganic oxide, a copolymer, a blend and a composite, wherein said copolymer, said blend or said composite contains at least one electrochemically active compound.

21. An electrochromic device according to claim 20, wherein the inorganic oxide is tungsten oxide or doped tungsten oxide.

22. An electrochromic device according to claim 21, wherein said doped tungsten oxide is doped with at least one of lithium, sodium, potassium, molybendum, vanadium or titanium.

23. An electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein the electrochemically active material layer is electronically conductive in at least its oxidized or reduced state.

24. An electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein the electrochemically active material layer is selected from the group consisting of polyaniline, a polyaniline derivative and mixtures thereof.

25. An electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one transparent electrode is comprised of a group selected from doped indium oxide, doped tin oxide and doped zinc oxide.

26. An electrochromic device according to claim 2, wherein the at least one transparent substrate is selected from the group consisting of specific colored substrates, photochromic substrates, infrared absorbing substrates, reflecting substrates, ultraviolet absorbing substrates and mixtures thereof.

27. An electrochromic device according to claim 2, wherein the at least one transparent substrate is further comprised of a coating on the outward facing surface, said coating selected from the group consisting of an antireflection coating, an antifogging coating, an antiabrasion coating, an ultraviolet quenching coating and mixtures thereof.

28. An electrochromic device according to claim 2, wherein at least one of the substrates is further comprised of a coating, tape or lamination selected from the group consisting of an antilacerative, an antiscatter, a colored, a ultraviolet blocking, an IR blocking coating, tape or lamination and mixtures thereof.

29. An electrochromic device according to claim 2, wherein one of said substrates is reflective.

30. An electrochromic device according to claim 2, further comprising a reflective layer disposed on an inward or outward facing surface of one of said substrates.

31. An electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein one of said electrodes is a reflective material.

32. An electrochromic device according to claim 2, wherein said device is a vehicular mirror or a vehicular glazing.

33. An electrochromic device according to claim 32, wherein said vehicular mirror is an interior vehicular mirror or an exterior vehicular mirror.

34. An electrochromic device according to claim 33, wherein said interior vehicular mirror is a rearview mirror.

35. An electrochromic device according to claim 32, wherein said vehicular glazing is selected from the group consisting of a vehicular window, a sun roof, sun visor and a shadeband.

36. An electrochromic device according to claim 2, wherein said device is an architectural glazing selected from the group consisting of an exterior window, an interior portion, a skylight and a light tube.

37. An electrochromic device according to claim 2, wherein said device is a filter for a display or monitor.

38. An electrochromic device according to claim 2, wherein said device is a display.

39. An electrochromic device according to claim 2, wherein said device is eyewear or sunglasses.

40. An electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein said selective ion transport layer is prepared by the process of depositing a liquid medium comprising a selective ion transport material and a solvent on the electrochemically active material layer and evaporating said solvent.

41. An electrochromic device according to claim 40, wherein the selective ion transport material is selected form the group consisting of hydrated oxides, non-hydrated oxides, polycerams or ion-conducting polymers.

42. An electrochromic device according to claim 41, wherein said ion conducting polymers are selected from copolymers containing ion-conductive moieties or non-ionic polymers.

43. An electrochromic device according to claim 40, wherein said liquid medium comprises a surfactant.