Photodeposition of metal oxides for electrochromic devices
AssigneeMiru Smart Technologies Corp.
InventorsCurtis Berlinguette, Wei Cheng
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Abstract
The present invention provides scalable, solution based processes for manufacturing electrochromic materials comprising metal oxide films for use in electrochromic devices. The electrochromic material comprises a transparent conductive substrate coated with an electrochromic metal oxide film, wherein the metal oxide film is formed by a process comprising the steps of: a) providing the conductive substrate; b) coating the substrate with a solution of one or more metal precursors; and c) exposing the coated substrate to near-infrared radiation, UV radiation and/or ozone in an aerobic atmosphere. The present invention also provides electrochromic devices incorporating these electrochromic materials.
Claims20
A process for forming an electrochromic material suitable for use in an electrochromic device, the process comprising:
- providing a transparent conductive substrate;
- coating the transparent conductive substrate with a solution of one or more metal precursors, wherein a metal precursor comprises a ligand selected from chloride, bromide and nitrate and is converted to a metal oxide upon exposure to UV radiation and/or ozone;
- and
- exposing the coated transparent conductive substrate to UV radiation and/or ozone in an aerobic atmosphere at ambient temperature and ambient pressure to effect conversion of the one or more metal precursors to a metal oxide film on the transparent conductive substrate without application of a heat treatment with an external heat source, thereby forming the electrochromic material,
- wherein the electrochromic device comprises:
- a first electrode comprising the electrochromic material,
- a counter electrode, and
- an ion-conductor layer for conducting ions between the first electrode and the counter electrode.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.