Electrochromic device having an improved fill port plug

• US 7,190,505 B1
• Filed: 03/28/2006
• Issued: 03/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Inventors: Tonar, William L., Stray, Joel A.
• Primary Examiner(s): THOMPSON, TIMOTHY J
• Application Number:
  US11/391,594
• Time in Patent Office: 350 Days
• Field of Search: 359/265, 359/237, 359/238, 359/241, 359/266, 359/267, 359/273
• 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 1/161 Gaskets; Spacers; Sealing of cells; Filling or closing of cells
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2001/15145 the electrochromic layer comprises a mixture of anodic and cathodic compounds

Abstract

An electrochromic device, comprising: (a) a first substantially transparent substrate having an electrically conductive material associated therewith; (b) a second substrate having an electrically conductive material associated therewith; (c) an electrochromic medium contained within a chamber positioned between the first and second substrates which comprises: (1) at least one solvent; (2) at least one anodic material; and (3) at least one cathodic material, wherein both of the anodic and cathodic materials are electroactive and at least one of the anodic and cathodic materials is electrochromic; (d) wherein the chamber comprises a plug associated with a fill port; and (e) wherein the plug is at least partially cured with and/or comprises a phosphine oxide photo initiator.

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;

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

at least one solvent;

at least one anodic material;

at least one cathodic material, wherein both of the anodic and cathodic materials are electroactive and at least one of the anodic and cathodic materials is electrochromic;

wherein the chamber comprises a plug associated with a fill port; and

wherein the plug comprises a phosphine oxide.

2. The electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein the phosphine oxide comprises a mono acyl phosphine oxide.

3. The electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein the phosphine oxide comprises 2,4,6-trimethylbenzoyl-diphenyl-phosphine oxide.

4. The electrochromic device according to claim 3, wherein the plug further comprises 2-hydroxy-2-methyl-1-phenyl-propan-1-one.

5. The electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein the phosphine oxide comprises a bis acyl phosphine oxide.

6. The electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein the phosphine oxide comprises bis(2,4,6-trimethylbenzoyl)-phenylphosphine oxide.

7. The electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein the phosphine oxide comprises bis(2,6-dimethoxybenzoyl)-2,4,4-trimethyl pentylphosphine oxide.

8. The electrochromic device according to claim 7, wherein the plug further comprises 2-hydroxy-2-methyl-1-phenyl-propan-1-one.

9. The electrochromic device according to claim 7, wherein the plug further comprises 1-hydroxy-cyclohexyl-phenyl-ketone.

10. The electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein the phosphine oxide comprises at least one of the following formulae:

wherein R₁–

R₈ are the same or different and comprise H, a hydroxyl group, a straight or branched alkyl, cycloalkyl, polycycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, alkaryl, alkoxy, aryl, aralkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, or carbonyl group containing approximately 1 to approximately 50 carbon atom(s) and combinations thereof.

11. The electrochromic device according to claim 10, wherein the plug further comprises a ketonic augmentive additive.

12. The electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein the cathodic material comprises a viologen.

13. The electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein the cathodic material comprises a ferrocinium species.

14. The electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein the anodic material comprises phenazine.

15. The electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein the anodic material comprises a substituted phenazine.

16. The electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein the concentration of the cathodic material ranges from approximately 1 mM to approximately 500 mM.

17. The electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein the concentration of the cathodic material ranges from approximately 2 mM to approximately 100 mM.

18. The electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein the concentration of the anodic material ranges from approximately 1 mM to approximately 500 mM.

19. The electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein the concentration of the anodic material ranges from approximately 2 mM to approximately 100 mM.

20. The electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein the electrochromic medium further comprises a cross-linked polymer matrix.

21. The electrochromic device according to claim 1, wherein the electrochromic medium further comprises a free-standing gel.

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

23. The electrochromic device according to claim 1, 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 1, wherein the plug includes a filler material having a refractive index substantially similar to the refractive index of the electrochromic medium.

26. The electrochromic device according to claim 25, wherein the difference in refractive index between the filler material and the electrochromic medium is approximately +/−

0.030.

27. The electrochromic device according to claim 26, wherein the difference in refractive index between the filler material and the electrochromic medium is approximately +/−

0.010.

28. 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;

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

at least one solvent;

at least one anodic material;

at least one cathodic material, wherein both of the anodic and cathodic materials are electroactive and at least one of the anodic and cathodic materials is electrochromic;

wherein the chamber comprises a plug associated with a fill port; and

wherein the plug is at least partially cured with a phosphine oxide photo initiator.

29. The electrochromic device according to claim 28, wherein the phosphine oxide comprises a mono acyl phosphine oxide.

30. The electrochromic device according to claim 28, wherein the phosphine oxide comprises 2,4,6-trimethylbenzoyl-diphenyl-phosphine oxide.

31. The electrochromic device according to claim 30, wherein the plug further comprises 2-hydroxy-2-methyl-1-phenyl-propan-1-one.

32. The electrochromic device according to claim 28, wherein the phosphine oxide comprises a bis acyl phosphine oxide.

33. The electrochromic device according to claim 28, wherein the phosphine oxide comprises bis(2,4,6-trimethylbenzoyl)-phenylphosphine oxide.

34. The electrochromic device according to claim 28, wherein the phosphine oxide comprises bis(2,6-dimethoxybenzoyl)-2,4,4-trimethyl pentylphosphine oxide.

35. The electrochromic device according to claim 34, wherein the plug further comprises 2-hydroxy-2-methyl-1-phenyl-propan-1-one.

36. The electrochromic device according to claim 34, wherein the plug further comprises 1-hydroxy-cyclohexyl-phenyl-ketone.

37. The electrochromic device according to claim 28, wherein the phosphine oxide comprises at least one of the following formulae:

wherein R₁–

R₈ are the same or different and comprise H, a hydroxyl group, a straight or branched alkyl, cycloalkyl, polycycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, alkaryl, alkoxy, aryl, aralkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, or carbonyl group containing approximately 1 to approximately 50 carbon atom(s) and combinations thereof.

38. The electrochromic device according to claim 37, wherein the plug further comprises a ketonic augmentive additive.

39. The electrochromic device according to claim 28, wherein the cathodic material comprises a viologen.

40. The electrochromic device according to claim 28, wherein the cathodic material comprises a ferrocinium species.

41. The electrochromic device according to claim 28, wherein the anodic material comprises phenazine.

42. The electrochromic device according to claim 28, wherein the anodic material comprises a substituted phenazine.

43. The electrochromic device according to claim 28, wherein the concentration of the cathodic material ranges from approximately 1 mM to approximately 500 mM.

44. The electrochromic device according to claim 28, wherein the concentration of the cathodic material ranges from approximately 2 mM to approximately 100 mM.

45. The electrochromic device according to claim 28, wherein the concentration of the anodic material ranges from approximately 1 mM to approximately 500 mM.

46. The electrochromic device according to claim 28, wherein the concentration of the anodic material ranges from approximately 2 mM to approximately 100 mM.

47. The electrochromic device according to claim 28, wherein the electrochromic medium further comprises a cross-linked polymer matrix.

48. The electrochromic device according to claim 28, wherein the electrochromic medium further comprises a free-standing gel.

49. The electrochromic device according to claim 28, wherein the electrochromic medium further comprises a substantially non-weeping gel.

50. The electrochromic device according to claim 28, wherein the device is an electrochromic window.

51. The electrochromic device according to claim 28, wherein the second substrate is coated with a reflective material.

52. The electrochromic device according to claim 51, wherein the device is an electrochromic mirror.

53. The electrochromic device according to claim 28, wherein the plug includes a filler material having a refractive index substantially similar to the refractive index of the electrochromic medium.

54. The electrochromic device according to claim 53, wherein the difference in refractive index between the filler material and the electrochromic medium is approximately +/−

0.030.

55. The electrochromic device according to claim 54, wherein the difference in refractive index between the filler material and the electrochromic medium is approximately +/−

0.010.

56. An electrochromic device, comprising:

at least one substantially transparent 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;

at least one anodic material;

at least one cathodic material, wherein both of the anodic and cathodic materials are electroactive and at least one of the anodic and cathodic materials is electrochromic;

wherein the chamber comprises a plug associated with a fill port; and

wherein the plug comprises a phosphine oxide.

57. An electrochromic device, comprising:

at least one substantially transparent 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;

at least one anodic material;

at least one cathodic material, wherein both of the anodic and cathodic materials are electroactive and at least one of the anodic and cathodic materials is electrochromic;

wherein the chamber comprises a plug associated with a fill port; and

wherein the plug is at least partially cured with a phosphine oxide photo initiator.