Electrochromic device
AssigneeUniversity College Dublin
InventorsDonald Fitzmaurice, David Cummins, David Corr, S. Nagaraja Rao, Gerrit Boschloo
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Abstract
This invention concerns an electochromic device comprising an electrode including a nanostructured metal oxide film, doped to metallic levels of conductivity and optionally modified by chemisorption of an electroactive compound. Such an electrochromic device is suitable for applications where optical modulation is required, such as large area static displays and automatically dimmable rear-view mirrors. The invention also concerns conducting nanostructured metal oxide films and electrodes comprising same and which are suitable for use in the electrochromic device.
Claims14
An electrochromic device, comprising:
- (a) a first electrode comprising a transparent or translucent substrate bearing an electrically conducting coating on an internal face which in turn bears a nanostructured film comprising a conducting or semiconducting metal oxide having an n-type or p-type redox chromophore or an n-type or p-type redox promoter adsorbed thereto, wherein when the metal oxide is a semiconducting metal oxide, one of a n-type redox chromophore and promoter is adsorbed thereto;
- (b) a second electrode comprising a transparent or translucent substrate bearing an electrically conducting coating on its internal face which in turn bears a nanostructured film comprising a conducting metal oxide having a p-type or n-type redox promoter or a p-type or n-type redox chromophore adsorbed thereto, wherein when the first electrode comprises an n-type redox chromophore or promoter, the second electrode comprises a p-type redox promoter or chromophore or vice versa;
- and
- (c) an electrolyte intermediate the electrodes.
An electrochromic device comprising:
- (a) a first electrode comprising a transparent or translucent substrate bearing an electrically conducting coating on an internal face which in turn bears a nanostructured film comprising a conducting or semiconducting metal oxide having an n-type or p-type redox chromophore adsorbed thereto, wherein when the metal oxide is a semiconducting metal oxide, an n-type redox chromophore is adsorbed thereto;
- (b) a second or counter electrode comprising a transparent or translucent substrate bearing an electrically conducting coating on an internal face which in turn bears a nanostructured film comprising a conducting metal oxide without an electroactive compound adsorbed thereto;
- and
- (c) an electrolyte intermediate the electrodes.
A process for preparing an electrochromic device having a first electrode comprising a transparent or translucent substrate bearing an electrically conducting coating on an internal face which in turn bears a nanostructured film comprising a conducting or semiconducting metal oxide having an n-type or p-type redox chromophore or an n-type or p-type redox promoter adsorbed thereto, wherein when the metal oxide is a semiconducting metal oxide, one of a an n-type redox chromophore and promoter is adsorbed thereto;
- a second electrode comprising a transparent or translucent substrate bearing an electrically conducting coating on its internal face which in turn bears a nanostructured film comprising a conducting metal oxide having a p-type or n-type redox promoter or a p-type or n-type redox chromophore adsorbed thereto, wherein when the first electrode comprises an n-type redox chromophore or promoter, the second electrode comprises a p-type redox promoter or chromophore or vice versa;
- and an electrolyte intermediate the electrodes, the process comprising:
- (a) providing conducting or semiconducting nanostructured metal oxide films;
- (b) modifying the resulting films by chemisorption of an electroactive compound of the p- or n-type;
- (c) applying the modified films to the internal face of the first and second electrodes;
- and
- (d) adding an electrolyte so that it is disposed between the electrodes.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.