Process for manufacturing an electrochromic article

• US 9,001,410 B2
• Filed: 08/16/2011
• Issued: 04/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Essilor International SA
• Original Assignee: Essilor International SA
• Inventors: Biver, Claudine, Duluard, Sandrine
• Primary Examiner(s): Baldwin, Gordon R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mayy, Mohammad
• Application Number:
  US13/817,394
• Publication Number:
  US 20130142945A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,330 Days
• Field of Search: 359/237, 359/238, 359/240, 359/265
• 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: C23C 18/16 by reduction or substitution, e.g. electroless plating C23C18/54 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/15 based on an electrochromic effect
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1533 structural features not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2202/36 Micro- or nanomaterials

Abstract

The present invention relates to a process for manufacturing an electrochromic article, comprising the following successive steps: (a) deposition of a layer of an electrochromic compound on the surface of a transparent or translucent electroconductive substrate; (b) deposition of a redox agent, which is a reducing agent or an oxidizing agent for the electrochromic compound, on the layer of electrochromic compound at a multitude of discrete points or areas thereon; (c) bringing the layer of electrochromic compound, deposited in step (a), and the redox agent, deposited in step (b), into contact with a liquid electrolyte for a time long enough to allow the electrochromic compound to be reduced or oxidized by the redox agent; and (d) elimination of the electrolyte by rinsing and/or drying, the layer of electrochromic compound being a porous layer of open porosity and/or an electrically conductive layer.

Claims

1. A process for manufacturing an electrochromic article comprising the following successive steps:

(a) depositing a layer of electrochromic compound on a surface of a transparent or translucent electrically conductive substrate,

(b) depositing a redox agent, which is a reducing agent or an oxidizing agent for the electrochromic compound, on the layer of electrochromic compound,

(c) contacting the layer of electrochromic compound, deposited in step (a), and the redox agent, deposited in step (b), with a liquid electrolyte for a sufficient time to enable reduction or oxidation of the electrochromic compound by the redox agent, and

(d) removing the electrolyte by rinsing and/or drying,

the layer of electrochromic compound being a porous layer with open porosity and/or an electrically conductive layer.

2. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the redox agent is deposited in a multitude of points or regions on the layer of electrochromic compound.

3. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein a ratio of a surface area covered by the redox agent to a total surface area of the electrochromic layer is less than 5%.

4. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the redox agent is a reducing agent for the electrochromic compound.

5. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive substrate includes at least one of tin-doped indium oxide (ITO), tin-doped fluorine oxide (FTO), and conductive organic polymers.

6. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the reducing agent is chosen from the group consisting of metallic states of Ni, Mo, Cu, Co, In, Fe, Zn, Si, Ag, Ti, and Al.

7. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electrochromic compound includes a hexacyanometallate.

8. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the contacting in step (c) is carried out by immersion in the liquid electrolyte or by spraying of the liquid electrolyte.

9. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the contacting in step (c) occurs for a contacting time of between 30 seconds and 15 minutes.

10. The process as claimed in claim 3, wherein the ratio of the surface area covered by the redox agent to the total surface area of the electrochromic layer is less than 1%.

11. The process as claimed in claim 6, wherein the reducing agent is chosen from the group consisting of Cu, Ni, Ag, Ti and Al.

12. The process as claimed in claim 7, wherein the electrochromic compound includes an iron hexametallate.

13. The process as claimed in claim 7, wherein the electrochromic compound includes Prussian blue.

14. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electrochromic compound includes a conductive polymer.

15. The process as claimed in claim 9, wherein the contacting time, in step (c), is between 1 minute and 8 minutes.