Ultrathin, solution phase electrochromic devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10866479-B2
Application number	US-201816192735-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 15, 2018
Priority date	Aug 5, 2016
Publication date	Dec 15, 2020
Grant date	Dec 15, 2020

Abstract

An electrochromic device includes an electrochromic medium including a cathodic component, an anodic component, a hydroquinone, and a solvent.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electrochromic device comprising:
a chamber defined by a substantially transparent first substrate, a second substrate, and a sealing member; and
an electrochromic medium disposed within the chamber, the medium comprising a cathodic compound, an anodic compound, a hydroquinone, and a solvent;
wherein:
the cathodic compound is represented by Formula (I):

R 1 and R 2 are individually unsubstituted alkyl, substituted or unsubstituted siloxyalkyl, substituted or unsubstituted hydroxyalkyl, substituted or unsubstituted alkenyl, or substituted or unsubstituted aralkyl;
R 4 , R 6 , R 8 , and R 10 are individually H, OR 20 , F, Cl, Br, I, CN, NO 2 , alkyl, or aryl;
R 3 and R 5 are individually secondary alkyl, tertiary alkyl, or a group of Formula (II):

R 11 , R 12 , R 13 , and R 14 are individually H, OR 20 , F, Cl, Br, I, CN, NO 2 , or alkyl;
R 15 is OH, F, Cl, Br, I, CN, NO 2 , —OC(O)NR 16 R 17 , ethyl, n-propyl, iso-propyl, butyl, sec-butyl, tert-butyl, alkoxy, or OC(O)NH(CH 2 ) n COOH;
R 16 is H or alkyl; and
R 17 is H, methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, iso-propyl, butyl, sec-butyl, tert-butyl, or —(CH 2 ) n Si(OR 18 ) 3 ;
R 18 is H or alkyl; and
n is 1 to 10;
R 7 and R 9 are H;
R 20 is H or alkyl; and
X is an anion.

2. The electrochromic device of claim 1 , wherein the hydroquinone is tetramethylhydroquinone.

3. The electrochromic device of claim 1 , wherein:
the first substrate comprises a first surface, and a second surface comprising a first substantially transparent, electrically conductive coating and disposed opposite to the first surface;
the second substrate comprising a first surface comprising an electrically conductive coating, and a second surface disposed opposite to the first surface;
the second surface of the first substrate and the first surface of the second substrate being located proximally to each other and having a substantially uniform spacing of distance, d, between them.

4. The electrochromic device of claim 3 , wherein 0 μm<d≤65 μm.

5. The electrochromic device of claim 3 , wherein 5 μm<d≤40 μm.

6. The electrochromic device of claim 3 , wherein 10 μm<d≤35 μm.

7. The electrochromic device of claim 3 , wherein 30 μm<d≤40 μm.

8. The electrochromic device of claim 3 further comprising insoluble spacing objects within the chamber, the insoluble spacing objects having a largest dimension that is greater than 0 μm, but less than or equal to d.

9. The electrochromic device of claim 8 , wherein the insoluble spacing objects comprise a colorless material, a transparent material, or a colorless and transparent material.

10. The electrochromic device of claim 8 , wherein the insoluble spacing objects comprise a ceramic or a polymer.

11. The electrochromic device of claim 8 , wherein the insoluble spacing objects comprise glass or a metal oxide.

12. The electrochromic device of claim 8 , wherein a refractive index of the spacing objects and a refractive index of the electrochromic medium differ by no more than 20%.

13. The electrochromic device of claim 12 , wherein a refractive index of the spacing objects and a refractive index of the electrochromic medium differ by less than 5%.

14. The electrochromic device of claim 1 , wherein the cathodic compound, the anodic compound, or both the cathodic and the anodic compound exhibit a low diffusion coefficient.

15. The electrochromic device of claim 14 , wherein low diffusion coefficient is from about 1×10 −6 to about 4×10 −6 cm 2 /second.

16. The electrochromic device of claim 15 , wherein low diffusion coefficient is from about 1×10 −6 to about 2×10 −6 cm 2 /second.

17. The electrochromic device of claim 1 , wherein the anodic compound comprises a metallocene, a 5,10-dihydrophenazine, a phenothiazine, a phenoxazine, a carbazole, a triphenodithiazine, or a triphendioxazine.

18. The electrochromic device of claim 1 , wherein R 3 and R 5 are each a group of Formula (II) and R 15 is —OC(O)NR 16 R 17 .

19. The electrochromic device of claim 1 , wherein R 3 and R 5 are individually a group of Formula (II), and R 15 is OC(O)NH(CH 2 ) n Si(OEt) 3 .

20. The electrochromic device of claim 1 , wherein R 3 and R 5 are each a group of Formula (II) and R 15 is OC(O)NH(CH 2 ) n Si(OEt) 3 .

Assignees

• Gentex Corp

Inventors

• Franz Sue F
• Baumann Kelvin L
• Heintzelman Adam R

Classifications

• G02F1/161 Primary

  Gaskets; Spacers; Sealing of cells; Filling or closing of cells · CPC title

• G02F2001/15145

  the electrochromic layer comprises a mixture of anodic and cathodic compounds · CPC title

• G02F1/1516

  comprising organic material · CPC title

• C09K9/02 Primary

  Organic tenebrescent materials · CPC title

• G02F1/1533 Primary

  structural features not otherwise provided for · CPC title