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

• US 7,265,889 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2005
• Issued: 09/04/2007
• 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:
  US11/250,424
• Publication Number:
  US 20060033978A1
• Time in Patent Office: 687 Days
• Field of Search: 359/265
• 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 including zinc oxide doped with aluminum or fluorine; and

a multicomponent electrode comprising at least one electrochemically active layer and a plurality of conducting strips between the at least one electronically conducting layer and the at least one electrochemically active layer.

9. The electrochemical device recited in claim 1 wherein the metallic strips include stainless steel, silver, gold, silvered copper, or aluminum.

10. The electrochemical device recited in claim 1 wherein the metallic strips are 1 to 5 mm apart.

11. The electrochemical device recited in claim 1 wherein the metallic strips are essentially parallel.

12. The electrochemical device recited in claim 1 wherein the metallic strips form a mesh.

13. The electrochemical device recited in claim 1 wherein the metallic strips are conducting wires.

2. An electrochemical device comprising:

at least one electronically conducting layer comprising at least one metal oxide including zinc oxide doped with aluminum or fluorine; and

a multicomponent electrode comprising at least one network comprising a plurality of silver-based conducting strips obtained using a low melting point fit in an organic binder.

3. The electrochemical device recited in claim 2 wherein the conducting strips are 0.1 to 0.5 mm wide.

4. The electrochemical device recited in claim 2 wherein the conducting strips are essentially parallel.

5. The electrochemical device recited in claim 2 wherein the conducting strips are 1 to 5 mm apart.

6. The electrochemical device recited in claim 2 wherein the conducting strips are formed on the at least one electronically conducting layer by screen printing.

7. The electrochemical device recited in claim 2 wherein the conducting strips are formed on a substrate by screen printing, and then the at least one electronically conducting layer is formed on the conducting strips.

8. The electrochemical device recited in claim 2 wherein the conducting strips are conducting wires.