Nanoporous and nanocrystalline film and electrochromic device

• US 7,253,940 B2
• Filed: 02/01/2005
• Issued: 08/07/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: University College Dublin Nat'L University of Ireland
• Original Assignee: University College Dublin Nat'L University of Ireland
• Inventors: Corr, David, Boschloo, Gerrit, Cummins, David, Fitzmaurice, Donald, Rao, S. Nagaraja
• Primary Examiner(s): Lester; Evelyn A.
• Application Number:
  US11/049,567
• Publication Number:
  US 20050128562A1
• Time in Patent Office: 917 Days
• Field of Search: 359265-275, 252/583, 252/586, 549/13, 549/28
• US Class Current: 359/265
• CPC Class Codes: C07F 17/02 of metals of Groups 8, 9 or 10 of the Periodic System
• CPC Class Codes: C07F 5/025 Boronic and borinic acid compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C07F 7/1804 Compounds having Si-O-C linkages Si-O-acyl linkages C07F7/1896
• CPC Class Codes: C07F 9/3808 Acyclic saturated acids which can have further substituents on alkyl
• CPC Class Codes: C07F 9/59 Hydrogenated pyridine rings
• CPC Class Codes: C07F 9/650994 condensed with carbocyclic rings or carbocyclic ring systems
• CPC Class Codes: C07F 9/65335 condensed with carbocyclic rings or carbocyclic ring systems
• CPC Class Codes: C07F 9/6547 condensed with carbocyclic rings or carbocyclic ring systems
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 9/02 Organic tenebrescent materials
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1516 comprising organic material

Abstract

A nanoporous, nanocrystalline film and electrochromic device. The nanoporous, nanocrystalline film has a conducting metal oxide having an electroactive compound, which is either a p-type or n-type redox promoter or p-type or n-type redox chromophore, absorbed thereto. The electrochromic device has at least one electrode, the at least one electrode having a transparent or translucent substrate bearing an electrically conducting coating, which in turn bears a conducting nanostructured metal oxide film.

Claims

1. A nanoporous, nanocrystalline film comprising a conducting metal oxide having at least one electroactive compound, including a p-type or n-type redox promoter and a p-type or n-type redox chromophore, absorbed thereto.

2. The film according to claim 1, wherein the conducting metal oxide is selected from the group consisting of:

(a) SnO₂ doped with F, Cl, Sb, P, As or B;

(b) ZnO doped with Al, In, Ga, B, F, Si, Ge, Ti, Zr or Hf;

(c) In₂O₃ doped with Sn;

(d) CdO

(e) Ternary oxides including ZnSnO₃, Zn₂In₂O₅, In₄Sn₃O₁₂, GaInO₃ or MgIn₂O₄;

(f) TiO₂/WO₃ or TiO₂/MoO₃ systems; and

(g) Fe₂O₃ doped with Sb; and

(h) Fe₂O₃/Sb or SnO₂/Sb systems.

3. The film according to claim 2 wherein the conducting metal oxide is SnO₂ doped with Sb.

4. The film according to claim 1 wherein the at least one electroactive compound is a p-type redox promoter and p-type redox chromophore.

5. The film according to claim 4, wherein the at least one electroactive compound is selected from the group consisting of compounds of the following formulae IV-VII:

6. The film according to claim 5, wherein the at least one electroactive compound is selected from the group consisting of:

(1) β

-(10-phenothiazyl) Propoxy phosphonic acid;

(2) β

-(10-phenothiazyl) Propyl-phosphonic acid;

(3) β

-(10-phenothiazyl) Propionate phosphonic acid;

(4) β

-(10-phenothiazyl) Propionate phosphonic acid; and

(5) (1-ferrocenyl) Imido-benzylmethyl phosphonic acid.

7. The film according to claim 1 wherein the at least one electroactive compound is an n-type redox promoter or n-type redox chromophore selected from the group consisting of compounds of the following general formulae I-III:

8. The film according to claim 7, wherein the electroactive compound is bis-(2-phosphonoethyl)-4,4′

-bipyridinium dichloride.

9. An electrode for use in an electrochromic device, the electrode comprising a nanoporous, nano-crystalline film, comprising a conducting metal oxide having at least one electroactive compound which is one of a p-type and n-type redox promoter and one of a p-type and n-type redox chromophore absorbed thereto.

10. An electrode for use in an electrochromic device comprising a transparent or translucent substrate bearing an electrically conducting coating, which in turn bears a conducting nanostructured metal oxide film comprising a conducting metal oxide having at least one electroactive compound which is one of a p-type and n-type redox promoter and one of a p-type and n-type redox chromophore absorbed thereto.

11. An electrochromic device comprising at least one electrode, the at least one electrode comprising a transparent or translucent substrate bearing an electrically conducting coating, which in turn bears a conducting nanostructured metal oxide compound comprising a conducting metal oxide having at least one electroactive compound which is one of a p-type and n-type redox promoter and one of a p-type and n-type redox chromophore absorbed thereto.