Electrochemical device, such as an electrically controlled system with variable optical and/or energy properties

• US 7,012,728 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2004
• Issued: 03/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Saint-Gobain Glass France (Compagnie De Saint-Gobain)
• Original Assignee: Saint-Gobain Glass France (Compagnie De Saint-Gobain)
• Inventors: Giron, Jean-Christophe, Beteille, Fabien, Morin, Claude
• Primary Examiner(s): THOMPSON, TIMOTHY J
• Application Number:
  US10/819,972
• Publication Number:
  US 20040191618A1
• Time in Patent Office: 705 Days
• Field of Search: 359/265, 359/237, 359/275, 359/254, 359/251, 359/252, 359/269, 359/270, 359/271, 359/273, 359/274, 204/450, 204/600, 315/106
• US Class Current: 359/265
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10036 comprising two outer glass sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10174 Coatings of a metallic or dielectric material on a constituent layer of glass or polymer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10376 Laminated safety glass or glazing containing metal wires
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10495 optoelectronic, i.e. optical valve
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10761 containing vinyl acetal
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/1077 containing polyurethane
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10788 containing ethylene vinylacetate
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/3417 all coatings being oxide coatings
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13439 characterised by their electrical, optical, physical properties; materials therefor; method of making
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/155 Electrodes

Abstract

An electrochemical device includes at least one carrier substrate, and a stack of functional layers including at least one electrically conducting layer that includes metal oxide(s), and a multicomponent electrode including at least one electrochemically active layer, at least one higher-conductivity material and at least one network of one of conducting wires and conducting strips. The higher-conductivity material has a surface resistance that is lower than a surface resistance of the electrically conducting layer. The stack of functional layers is arranged between two substrates, and each may be rigid, of glass type or rigid polymer or semi-rigid or flexible of PET type.

Claims

1. An electrochemical device comprising:

at least one electronically conducting layer comprising at least one metal oxide;

a multicomponent electrode comprising at least one electrochemically active layer and at least one network of conducting strips, wherein;

the at least one electronically conducting layer and the multicomponent electrode are arranged between two rigid or semi-rigid substrates, the substrates comprising at least one of glass and a polymer; and

the at least one electronically conducting layer comprises zinc oxide doped with aluminum or fluorine.

2. The electrochemical device of claim 1, wherein:

the substrates comprise polycarbonate.

3. The electrochemical device of claim 1, wherein:

the substrates comprise methyl polymethacrylate.

4. The electrochemical device of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one electronically conducting layer and the at least one electrochemically active layer are transparent.

5. The electrochemical device of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one electronically conducting layer and the at least one electrochemically active layer are absorbent.

6. The electrochemical device of claim 4, wherein:

the at least one electronically conducting layer and the at least one electrochemically active layer are absorbent.

7. The electrochemical device of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one network comprises a plurality of silver-based conducting strips.

9. The electrochemical device of claim 1, wherein:

the multicomponent electrode further comprises current leads in the form of metal braids or shims.

10. The electrochemical device of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one electronically conducting layer comprises tin oxide doped with fluorine or antimony.

11. The electrochemical device of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one electronically conducting layer comprises indium oxide doped with tin.

8. An electrochemical device comprising:

at least one electronically conducting layer comprising at least one metal oxide;

a multicomponent electrode comprising at least one electrochemically active layer and at least one network of conducting strips, wherein;

the at least one electronically conducting layer and the multicomponent electrode are arranged between two rigid or semi-rigid substrates, the substrates comprising at least one of glass and a polymer; and

the at least one network comprises a plurality of silver-based conducting strips obtained using a low melting point frit in an organic binder.

12. An electrochemical device comprising:

at least one electronically conducting layer comprising at least one metal oxide;

a multicomponent electrode comprising at least one electrochemically active layer and at least one network of one of conducting wires and conducting strips, wherein;

the at least one electronically conducting layer and the multicomponent electrode are arranged between two substrates, at least one of the substrates being flexible; and

the at least one electronically conducting layer comprises zinc oxide doped with aluminum or fluorine.

13. The electrochemical device of claim 12, wherein:

the at least one flexible substrate comprises polyethylene terephthalate.

14. The electrochemical device of claim 12, wherein:

the at least one network comprises a plurality of essentially metallic wires surface-laid on a thermoplastic polymer.

16. The electrochemical device of claim 12, wherein:

the multicomponent electrode further comprises current leads in the form of metal braids or shims.

17. The electrochemical device of claim 12, wherein:

the at least one electronically conducting layer comprises tin oxide doped with fluorine or antimony.

18. The electrochemical device of claim 12, wherein:

the at least one electronically conducting layer comprises indium oxide doped with tin.

15. An electrochemical device comprising:

at least one electronically conducting layer comprising at least one metal oxide;

a multicomponent electrode comprising at least one electrochemically active layer and at least one network of one of conducting wires and conducting strips, wherein;

the at least one electronically conducting layer and the multicomponent electrode are arranged between two substrates, at least one of the substrates being flexible; and

the at least one network comprises a plurality of silver-based conducting strips obtained using a low melting point frit in an organic binder.

19. An electrochemical energy storage device comprising:

at least one electronically conducting layer comprising at least one metal oxide;

a multicomponent electrode comprising at least one electrochemically active layer, at least one network of one of conducting wires and conducting strips, and a perforated metallic sheet or grid.