Electrochromic element, device and product, and manufacturing method and usage method therefor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021033940-A1
Application number	US-201815733737-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 10, 2018
Priority date	Apr 10, 2018
Publication date	Feb 4, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

Disclosed are an electrochromic element, device, and product, and a manufacturing method therefor. The electrochromic device (7) comprises: an electrochromic yarn (6), an ion storage yarn (18), and a power source (8), wherein the electrochromic yarn (6) contains a first flexible conductive yarn (5) and an electrochromic layer (4) coated on a surface layer of the first flexible conductive yarn (5); the ion storage yarn (18) contains a second flexible conductive yarn (1) and an ion storage layer (17) coated on a surface layer of the second flexible conductive yarn (1); and the first flexible conductive yarn (5) is electrically connected to a negative electrode of the power source (8), and the second flexible conductive yarn (1) is electrically connected to a positive electrode of the power source (8). The electrochromic device (7) can achieve a clear color development effect and make an electrochromic material have a good fastness. The preparation method is simple to operate and easily realizes industrial batch production.

First claim

1 . A method for manufacturing an electrochromic element, wherein the method comprises the following steps:
providing a flexible conductive yarn, the flexible conductive yarn comprising a first flexible conductive yarn and a second flexible conductive yarn; and coating an electrochromic layer and an ion storage layer on the first flexible conductive yarn and the second flexible conductive yarn by an electroplating process respectively to prepare an electrochromic yarn and an ion storage yarn respectively, so as to obtain an electrochromic element comprising the electrochromic yarn and the ion storage yarn.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the electroplating process comprises the following steps:
providing a mixture of a metallic powder, an oxidant and a dispersing solvent and making the mixture react to obtain an electroplating solution; immersing the first flexible conductive yarn and the second flexible conductive yarn in the electroplating solution for electroplating; taking out the first flexible conductive yarn and the second flexible conductive yarn, removing the excess electroplating solution, and optionally drying the first flexible conductive yarn and the second flexible conductive yarn; and annealing the first flexible conductive yarn and the second flexible conductive yarn.

3 . The method according to claim 2 , further comprising adding a catalyst to the mixture.

4 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein the metallic powder for preparing the electrochromic yarn or the ion storage yarn is selected from: titanium, vanadium, niobium, tantalum, chromium, molybdenum, tungsten, manganese, iron, cobalt, rhodium, osmium, hafnium, nickel or any combination thereof.

5 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein a three-electrode electroplating system is adopted for the electroplating.

6 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein the electroplating is carried out at room temperature for 1 to 15 minutes; and the annealing time is 15 to 90 minutes, and the temperature is 60 to 100° C.

7 . (canceled)

8 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the flexible conductive yarn comprises a flexible conductive yarn made of metal, or a flexible non-conductive organic polymer that is endowed with electrical conductivity by a conductive material.

9 . (canceled)

10 . (canceled)

11 . A method for manufacturing an electrochromic device, wherein the method comprises:
manufacturing an electrochromic element comprising an electrochromic yarn and an ion storage yarn with the method according to claim 1 ; providing a power supply; and electrically connecting the power supply to the first flexible conductive yarn and the second flexible conductive yarn.

12 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein an anode of the power supply is electrically connected to the second flexible conductive yarn, and a cathode of the power supply is electrically connected to the first flexible conductive yarn.

13 . An electrochromic device, comprising: an electrochromic yarn, an ion storage yarn and a power supply, the electrochromic yarn comprising a first flexible conductive yarn and an electrochromic layer coated on a surface layer of the first flexible conductive yarn, the ion storage yarn comprising a second flexible conductive yarn and an ion storage layer coated on a surface layer of the second flexible conductive yarn, the first flexible conductive yarn being electrically connected to a cathode of the power supply, and the second flexible conductive yarn being electrically connected to an anode of the power supply.

14 . (canceled)

15 . The electrochromic device according to claim 13 , wherein the electrochromic device operates at a low voltage, the low voltage being −0.8 V to +0.8 V.

16 . (canceled)

17 . The electrochromic device according to claim 13 , wherein the first flexible conductive yarn and/or the second flexible conductive yarn are/is made of metal, or comprise(s) a flexible non-conductive organic polymer that is endowed with electrical conductivity by a conductive material.

18 . (canceled)

19 . (canceled)

20 . The electrochromic device according to claim 13 , wherein the electrochromic layer comprises an inorganic metal oxide or an alloy oxide or a combination thereof; and the ion storage layer comprises an inorganic metal oxide or an alloy oxide or a combination thereof.

21 . (canceled)

22 . The electrochromic device according to claim 13 , wherein the electrochromic device produces electrochromism in an external environment with hydrogen, lithium, and/or sodium ions.

23 . A product comprising an electrochromic element manufactured with the method according to claim 1 .

24 . The product according to claim 23 , wherein the product is a textile product.

25 . The product according to claim 23 , wherein the electrochromic yarn and the ion storage yarn are inlaid in a fabric of the textile product to form a woven pattern.

26 . The product according to claim 25 , wherein the electrochromic yarn is inlaid in an outer side of the fabric and the ion storage yarn is inlaid in an inner side of the fabric so that a color change of the electrochromic element is observable from the outside when the textile product is worn by a user.

27 . The product according to claim 23 , wherein the product is an indicator for indicating the presence of hydrogen, lithium and/or sodium ions in an external environment.

28 . A method using the product according to claim 23 comprising the following steps:
actively or passively bringing the product into contact with an external liquid environment containing hydrogen, lithium and/or sodium ions, an ion storage layer on the ion storage yarn absorbing hydrogen, lithium and/or sodium ions in the external liquid environment in the presence of a voltage; and
changing polarity of the applied voltage so that the ion storage layer releases the absorbed ions to the electrochromic layer to produce electrochromism.

Assignees

• Hong Kong Res Inst Textiles & Apparel Ltd

Inventors

• Keh Edwin Yee Man
• Yao Lei
• Hui Yeung Yu
• Huang Xinxin
• Hui Yue Kit
• Chen Colin Xin
• Lai Derek

Classifications

• G02F1/157 Primary

  Structural association of cells with optical devices, e.g. reflectors or illuminating devices · CPC title

• G02F1/155

  Electrodes · CPC title

• G02F1/1525

  characterised by a particular ion transporting layer, e.g. electrolyte · CPC title

• G02F1/1524

  Transition metal compounds · CPC title

• G02F1/15165 Primary

  Polymers · CPC title