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EP0430684A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Electrochemichromic solutions and devices containing such solutions
Assignee: Magna Donnelly Corp
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Filing: 1990-11-29
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2010-11-29
Abstract
Abstract Electrochemichromic solutions (and mirrors containing them), use of solvents comprising at least about 25% 3-hydroxypropionitrile, 3,3′-oxydipropionitrile, 2-acetylbutyrolactone, 2-methylglutaronitrile or 3-methylsulpholane or a mixture thereof. Also disclosed are vacuum backfilling techniques for filling electrochemichromic cells having enhanced UV stability through UV self-screening by the solvent.
Inventors
- 👤 Desaraju Venkatapanduranga Varaprasad
- 👤 Niall Richard Lynam
- 👤 Hamid Reza Habibi
- 👤 Padma Desaraju
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 15:22
CPC Classifications
C; C09; C09K; C09K9/00; C09K9/02; G; G02; G02F; G02F1/00; G02F1/01; G02F1/15; G02F1/1503; G02F1/153; G02F1/161; G02F2001/1502; G02F1/1514; G02F2001/15145
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
44 words
An electrochemichromic solution comprising: a redox chemical pair which can be made coloured or colourless according to any applied voltage; a solvent comprising at least 25% by volume of 3-hydroxypropionitrile (HPN), 3,3′-oxydipropionitrile (ODPN), 2-acetylbutyrolactone (ABL), 2-methylglutaronitrile (MGNT) or 3-methylsulfolane (MS) or a mixture thereof.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
13 words
An electrochemichromic solution as claimed in claim 1 wherein the solvent is HPN.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
An electrochemichromic solution as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the solvent comprises two solvents at a ratio of from 75: 25 to 25: 75 by volume.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
131 words
An electrochemichromic solution as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3 wherein the solvent comprises (a) 3-hydroxypropionitrile and 2-methylglutaronitrile in a ratio by volume of from 75: 25 to 25: 75; (b) 3-hydroxypropionitrile and 3-methylsulfolane in a ratio by volume of from 75: 25 to 25: 75; (c) propylene carbonate and 3,3′-oxydipropionitrile in a ratio by volume of from 75: 25 to 25: 75; (d) 3-hydroxypropionitrile and 2-acetylbutyrolactone in a ratio by volume of from 75: 25 to 25: 75; (e) 2-acetylbutyrolactone and 3,3′-oxydipropionitrile in a ratio by volume of from 75: 25 to 25: 75; (f) propylene carbonate and 2-acetylbutyrolactone in a ratio by volume of from 75: 25 to 25: 75; or (g) 3-hydroxypropionitrile and 3,3′-oxydipropionitrile in a ratio by volume of from 75: 25 to 25: 75.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
An electrochemichromic device containing an electrochemichromic solution as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
47 words
A device as claimed in claim 5 which is an electrochemichromic cell comprising: at least two spaced apart plates, each plate having an inwardly facing conductive surface; an electrochemichromic solution as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4 in the cell, between two spaced apart plates.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
45 words
A method of reducing current leakage in an electrochemichromic cell having spaced apart plates, each plate having an inwardly facing conductive surface, and a solution located in the cell between the plates, wherein the solution is as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
72 words
A method of protecting a redox chemical pair in electrochemichromic solution from degradation due to exposure to ultraviolet radiation, the method comprising dissolving the redox chemical pair in a solvent which will transmit through a one millimetre path length no more than about 30% of the solar radiation in a 250 to 350 nm range passed through a half wave ITO coated soda lime glass substrate of a thickness of .063 inches.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
102 words
A method of at least partially filling an electrochemichromic device having at least two spaced apart plates, each plate having an inwardly facing conductive surface, the spaced apart plates being sealed by a seal, the method comprising: providing the device with an aperture for fluid entry; evacuting air from the device; placing the electrochemichromic device into a container of electrochemichromic solution such that the aperture is located underneath a surface of the electrochemichromic solution; exposing the electrochemichromic solution to a source of pressure greater that that inside the device to thereby cause the solution to enter the device; and sealing the aperture.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
55 words
A method as claimed in claim 9 wherein: evacuting air from the device comprises placing the device in a vacuum chamber along with the container of the electrochemichromic solution and evacuting the chamber to a vacuum; after exposure subsequently venting the chamber to atmospheric pressure; and/or removing the device from the container prior to sealing.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method as claimed in claim 9 or 10 wherein the vacuum chamber is pressurised to above atmospheric pressure after it has been vented to atmospheric pressure.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
29 words
A method as claimed in any of claims 9 to 11 wherein the electrochemichromic solution is cooled prior to entering the device by backfilling to reduce its vapour pressure.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
87 words
A method of at least partially filling an electrochemichromic device having at least two spaced apart plates, each plate having an inwardly facing conductive surface, the spaced apart plates being sealed to form a sealed cavity, the method comprising: providing a pair of openings in the device which are in fluid communication with the sealed cavity; placing one of the openings in flow communication with an electrochemichromic solution; placing the other opening in flow communication with a vacuum source whereby the solution is drawn into the cell.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
23 words
A method of any of claims 10 to 13 wherein the electrochemichromic solution is as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
29 words
A process for the preparation of an electrochemichromic solution as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4, the process comprising admixing the redox chemical pair and the solvent.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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