Electrochromic devices having an electron shuttle

• US 7,031,043 B2
• Filed: 01/07/2004
• Issued: 04/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Inventors: Guarr, Thomas F., Theiste, David A., Baumann, Kelvin L., Lin, Rongguang, Roberts, Kathy E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sugarman, Scott J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tra, Tuyen
• Application Number:
  US10/753,049
• Publication Number:
  US 20040233500A1
• Time in Patent Office: 832 Days
• Field of Search: 359265-275, 345/49, 345/105, 345/107, 544/347, 546/257
• US Class Current: 359/265
• 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: G02F 1/1503 caused by oxidation-reduction reactions in organic liquid solutions, e.g. viologen solutions
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2001/15145 the electrochromic layer comprises a mixture of anodic and cathodic compounds

Abstract

An electrochromic device comprising: a first substantially transparent substrate having an electrically conductive material associated therewith; a second substrate having an electrically conductive material associated therewith; and an electrochromic medium contained within a chamber positioned between the first and second substrates which comprises: at least one solvent; an anodic material; a cathodic material, wherein both of the anodic and cathodic materials are electroactive and at least one of the anodic and cathodic materials is electrochromic, and wherein at least one of the anodic and cathodic materials is slow-diffusing; and an electron shuttle, wherein the electron shuttle serves to decrease switching time of the electrochromic device relative to the same without the electron shuttle.

Claims

1. An electrochromic device, comprising:

a first substantially transparent substrate having an electrically conductive material associated therewith;

a second substrate having an electrically conductive material associated therewith; and

an electrochromic medium contained within a chamber positioned between the first and second substrates which comprises;

at least one solvent;

an anodic electrochromic material;

a cathodic electrochromic material; and

an electron shuttle comprising a similar chromophore as at least one of the anodic and cathodic electrochromic materials, wherein the electron shuttle serves to decrease switching time of the electrochromic device relative to the same without the electron shuttle.

2. The electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein the electron shuttle comprises a diffusion coefficient greater than approximately 1.5 times that of the electrochromic material comprising the same chromophore.

3. The electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein the electron shuttle comprises a diffusion coefficient greater than approximately 2.0 times that of the electrochromic material comprising the same chromophore.

4. The electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein the electron shuttle is materially colored upon at least one of oxidation and reduction.

5. The electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein the electron shuttle serves to decrease clearing time of the electrochromic device by at least 10% relative to the same without the electron shuttle.

6. The electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein the electron shuttle serves to decrease clearing time of the electrochromic device by at least 15% relative to the same without the electron shuttle.

7. The electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein the concentration of the electron shuttle ranges from approximately 0.5 mM to approximately 50 mM.

8. The electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein the concentration of the electron shuttle is at least approximately 5% of the concentration of at least one of the anodic and cathodic electrochromic materials.

9. The electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein the device is an electrochromic window.

10. The electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein the second substrate is coated with a reflective material.

11. The electrochromic device according to claim 10, wherein the device is an electrochromic mirror.

12. The electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein a first surface of the second substrate is coated with a reflective material.

13. The electrochromic device according to claim 12, wherein the device is an electrochromic mirror.

14. An electrochromic device, comprising:

a first substantially transparent substrate having an electrically conductive material associated therewith;

a second substrate having an electrically conductive material associated therewith; and

an electrochromic medium contained within a chamber positioned between the first and second substrates which comprises;

at least one solvent;

an anodic electrochromic material;

a cathodic electrochromic material;

an electron shuttle comprising a similar chromophore as at least one of the anodic and cathodic electrochromic materials, wherein the electron shuttle serves to decrease switching time of the electrochromic device relative to the same without the electron shuttle; and

wherein the electrochromic medium comprises a cross-linked polymer matrix.

15. The electrochromic device according to claim 14, wherein the electron shuttle comprises a diffusion coefficient greater than approximately 1.5 times that of the electrochromic material comprising the same chromophore.

16. The electrochromic device according to claim 14, wherein the electron shuttle comprises a diffusion coefficient greater than approximately 2.0 times that of the electrochromic material comprising the same chromophore.

17. The electrochromic device according to claim 14, wherein the electron shuttle is materially colored upon at least one of oxidation and reduction.

18. The electrochromic device according to claim 14, wherein the electron shuttle serves to decrease clearing time of the electrochromic device by at least 10% relative to the same without the electron shuttle.

19. The electrochromic device according to claim 14, wherein the electron shuttle serves to decrease clearing time of the electrochromic device by at least 15% relative to the same without the electron shuttle.

20. The electrochromic device according to claim 14, wherein the concentration of the electron shuttle ranges from approximately 0.5 mM to approximately 50 mM.

21. The electrochromic device according to claim 14, wherein the concentration of the electron shuttle is at least approximately 5% of the concentration of at least one of the anodic and cathodic electrochromic materials.

22. The electrochromic device according to claim 14, wherein the device is an electrochromic window.

23. The electrochromic device according to claim 14, wherein the second substrate is coated with a reflective material.

24. The electrochromic device according to claim 23, wherein the device is an electrochromic mirror.

25. The electrochromic device according to claim 14, wherein a first surface of the second substrate is coated with a reflective material.

26. The electrochromic device according to claim 25, wherein the device is an electrochromic mirror.

27. An electrochromic device, comprising:

a first substantially transparent substrate having an electrically conductive material associated therewith; and

an electrochromic medium which comprises;

at least one solvent;

an anodic electrochromic material;

a cathodic electrochromic material; and

an electron shuttle comprising a similar chromophore as at least one of the anodic and cathodic electrochromic materials, wherein the electron shuttle serves to decrease switching time of the electrochromic device relative to the same without the electron shuttle.

28. The electrochromic device according to claim 27, wherein the electron shuttle comprises a diffusion coefficient greater than approximately 1.5 times that of the electrochromic material comprising the same chromophore.

29. The electrochromic device according to claim 27, wherein the electron shuttle comprises a diffusion coefficient greater than approximately 2.0 times that of the electrochromic material comprising the same chromophore.

30. The electrochromic device according to claim 27, wherein the electron shuttle is materially colored upon at least one of oxidation and reduction.

31. The electrochromic device according to claim 27, wherein the electron shuttle serves to decrease clearing time of the electrochromic device by at least 10% relative to the same without the electron shuttle.

32. The electrochromic device according to claim 27, wherein the electron shuttle serves to decrease clearing time of the electrochromic device by at least 15% relative to the same without the electron shuttle.

33. The electrochromic device according to claim 27, wherein the concentration of the electron shuttle ranges from approximately 0.5 mM to approximately 50 mM.

34. The electrochromic device according to claim 27, wherein the concentration of the electron shuttle is at least approximately 5% of the concentration of at least one of the anodic and cathodic electrochromic materials.

35. The electrochromic device according to claim 27, wherein the device is an electrochromic window.

36. The electrochromic device according to claim 27, wherein the second substrate is coated with a reflective material.

37. The electrochromic device according to claim 36, wherein the device is an electrochromic mirror.

38. The electrochromic device according to claim 27, wherein a first surface of the second substrate is coated with a reflective material.

39. The electrochromic device according to claim 38, wherein the device is an electrochromic mirror.

40. The electrochromic device according to claim 27, wherein the electrochromic medium comprises a cross-linked polymer matrix.