Electrochemical luminescent solutions and devices incorporating such solutions

Claim 2

In an electrochemical luminescent solution for an electrogenerated chemiluminescent device, said solution including a luminescor component, an aprotic solvent and an electrolyte, the improvement wherein the luminescor component comprises a luminescor compound and an added compound, one of said compounds an oxidant and the other of said compounds a reductant at the operating potential of said device, said oxidant and reductant reactive as an energy sufficient system for light emission.

Claim 3

In an electrochemical luminescent solution as claimed in claim 1, one of said compounds productive of an anion radical and the other of said compounds productive of a cation radical, said radicals reactive as an energy sufficient system for light emission.

Claim 4

An electrochemical luminescent solution for an electro-generated chemiluminescent device, said solution electrically conductive and comprising an aprotic solvent, an electrolyte and a luminescor component, said luminescor component comprising a luminescor compound and an additive compound, one of said compounds an oxidant and the other of said compounds a reductant at the operating potential of said device, said oxidant and said reductant reactive as an energy sufficient system for light emission.

Claim 5

An electrochemical luminescent solution for an electro-generated chemiluminescent device, said solution electrically conductive and comprising an aprotic solvent, an electrolyte and a luminescor component, said luminescor component comprising a luminescor compound and an additive compound, one of said compounds an oxidant and the other of said compounds a reductant at the operating potential of said device, said oxidant and said reductant reactive as an energy sufficient system for light emission.

Claim 6

A solution as claimed in claim 3, one of said compounds productive of an anion radical and the other of said compounds productive of a cation radical, said radicals reactive as an energy sufficient system for light emission.

Claim 7

A solution as claimed in claim 4, one of said compounds an aromatic hydrocarbon.

Claim 8

A solution as claimed in claim 5, one of said compounds DPA.

Claim 9

A solution as claimed in claim 5, the other of said compounds a hetrocyclic compound.

Claim 10

A solution as claimed in claim 6, the other of said compound thianthrene.

Claim 11

A solution as claimed in claim 8 wherein said solvent is a mixed solvent.

Claim 12

A solution as claimed in claim 9, said mixed solvent comprising acetronitrile, benzene and toluene.

Claim 13

A solution as claimed in claim 9, the electrolyte an organic electrolyte.

Claim 14

A solution as claimed in claim 4, said luminescor component comprising a luminescor compound productive of a stable ion radical and an unstable ion radical, said additive compound productive of a stable ion radical corresponding to said unstable ion radical, said stable ion radical of said additive compound produced at a potential lower than that for said unstable ion radical.

Claim 15

An electrogenerated chemiluminescent device comprising a substrate and a transparent cover member spaced from said substrate and defining with said substrate a sealed chamber; first and second electrodes in said chamber, one of said electrodes defining at least one predetermined pattern; an electrochemical luminescent solution in said chamber in contact with said electrodes; and means for applying an operating potential to said electrodes, said solution electrically conductive and including a luminescor component, an electrolyte and an aprotic solvent for the luminescor component, the Luminescor component comprising a luminescor compound and an additive compound, one of said compounds an oxidant and the other of said compounds a reductant at the operating potential of the device, the oxidant and reductant reactive as an energy sufficient system for light emission.

Claim 16

An electrogenerated chemiluminescent device comprising a substrate and a transparent cover member spaced from said substrate and defining with said substrate a sealed chamber; first and second electrodes in said chamber, one of said electrodes defining at least one predetermined pattern; an electrochemical luminescent solution in said chamber in contact with said electrodes; and means for applying an operating potential to said electrodes, said solution electrically conductive and including a luminescor component, an electrolyte and an aprotic solvent for the luminescor component, the Luminescor component comprising a luminescor compound and an additive compound, one of said compounds an oxidant and the other of said compounds a reductant at the operating potential of the device, the oxidant and reductant reactive as an energy sufficient system for light emission.

Claim 17

An electrochemiluminescent solution including: an electrochemiluminescent compound being reducible and oxidizable by an applied alternating electric potential to a compound anion radical and a compound cation radical, one of the compound ion radicals being less stable than the other, an additive compound capable of producing a stable additive ion radical corresponding to and more stable than the less stable compound ion radical of said electrochemiluminescent compound at a potential lower than the potential at which said less stable compound ion radical is formed, whereby the corresponding additive compound ion radical is formed in preference to the less stable electrochemiluminescent compound ion radical under the influence of said alternating potential, the more stable ion radical of said electrochemiluminescent compound and the preferentially formed stable additive compound ion radical capable of directly producing upon reaction together a change in enthalpy greater than the lowest excited singlet state of said electrochemiluminescent compound, whereby an electronically excited molecule of said electroluminescent compound is formed which emits light on returning to its ground state, an electrolyte, and an aprotic solvent for said electrochemiluminescent compound.

Claim 18

An electrochemiluminescent solution including: an electrochemiluminescent compound being reducible and oxidizable by an applied alternating electric potential to a compound anion radical and a compound cation radical, one of the compound ion radicals being less stable than the other, an additive compound capable of producing a stable additive ion radical corresponding to and more stable than the less stable compound ion radical of said electrochemiluminescent compound at a potential lower than the potential at which said less stable compound ion radical is formed, whereby the corresponding additive compound ion radical is formed in preference to the less stable electrochemiluminescent compound ion radical under the influence of said alternating potential, the more stable ion radical of said electrochemiluminescent compound and the preferentially formed stable additive compound ion radical capable of directly producing upon reaction together a change in enthalpy greater than the lowest excited singlet state of said electrochemiluminescent compound, whereby an electronically excited molecule of said electroluminescent compound is formed which emits light on returning to its ground state, an electrolyte, and an aprotic solvent for said electrochemiluminescent compound.

Claim 19

The solution of claim 14, wherein said electrochemiluminescent compound and said additive compound are so selected that said electrochemiluminescent compound in its excited state emits visible light.

Claim 20

The solution of claim 15, wherein the electrochemiluminescent compound and the additive compound are so selected that the more stable ion radical of the electrochemiluminescent compound and the preferentially formed stable additive compound ion radical are capable of directly producing upon reaction together a change in enthalpy greater than the lowest excited singlet state of said electrochemiluminescent compound, whereby said electrochemiluminescent compound is formed in its lowest excited singlet state and thereby emits light.

Claim 21

The solution of claim 16, wherein said electrochemiluminescent compound is selected from the group consisting of 9,10-diphenylanthracene, 9,10-dimetnylanthracene, 9-methylanthracene and anthracene.

Claim 22

The solution of claim 17, wherein said additive compound is selected from the group consisting of thianthrene, tri-p-tolylamine and phenothiazine.

Claim 23

The solution of claim 18, wherein said additive compound is thianthrene and wherein said electroluminescent compound is selected from the group consisting of 9,10-diphenylanthracene, and 9,10-dimethylanthracene.

Claim 24

The solution of claim 19, wherein said electroluminescent compound is 9,10-diphenylanthracene.

Claim 25

The solution of claim 15 wherein said electrolyte is electroinactive at said applied alternating electric potential.

Claim 26

The solution of claim 21, wherein said electrolyte is selected from the group consisting of tetraalkylammonium perchlorates, tetraalkylammonium p-toluenesulfonates and tetraalkylammonium tetrafluoroborates.

Claim 27

The solution of claim 21, wherein said aprotic solvent is selected from the group consisting of acetonitrile and dimethylformamide.

Claim 28

The solution of claim 21, wherein said solvent is selected from the group consisting of benzene, toluene, and xylene.

Claim 29

The solution of claim 24, wherein said solution contains acetonitrile, benzene and toluene.

Claim 30

The solution of claim 25, wherein the proportion of acetonitrile:benzene:toluene is 3:2:1 on a volume basis.

Claim 31

The solution of claim 25, wherein the proportion of acetonitrile:benzene:toluene is 3:2:1 on a volume basis, said electroluminescent compouNd being 9,10-diphenylanthracene, said additive compound being thianthrene, said electrolyte being tetra-n-butylammonium perchlorate, said solution containing about 11.11 millimoles thianthrene, 7.77 millimoles 9,10-diphenylanthracene, and about 0.1 moles tetra-n-butylammonium perchlorate per liter of said solution.

Claim 32

The solution of claim 15, wherein said electroluminescent compound is 9,10-diphenylanthracene and wherein said additive compound is thianthrene, said solution containing about 11.11 millimoles thianthrene, about 7.77 millimoles 9,10-diphenylanthracene, and about 0.1 moles tetra-n-butylammonium perchlorate per liter of said solution, said solution further including acetonitrile as a solvent.

Claim 33

The solution of claim 15 comprising PPO and TH.

Claim 34

The solution of claim 15 comprising 9,10-dimethylanthracene and thianthrene.

Claim 35

An electroluminescent solution including: an electrochemiluminescent compound being reducible and oxidizable by an applied alternating electric potential to an anion radical and a cation radical less stable than said anion radical, an additive compound capable of producing a stable additive compound cation radical more stable than the cation radical of said electrochemiluminescent compound at a potential lower than the potential at which the cation radical of said electrochemiluminescent compound is produced, whereby the stable additive compound cation radical is formed in preference to the less stable electrochemiluminescent compound cation radical under the influence of said alternating potential, the anion radical of said electrochemiluminescent compound and the preferentially formed stable additive compound cation radical capable of directly producing upon reaction together a change in enthalpy greater than the lowest excited singlet state of said electrochemiluminescent compound, whereby said electrochemiluminescent compound is formed in an excited electronic state and thereby emits light, an electrolyte, and an aprotic solvent for said electrochemiluminescent compound.

Claim 36

An electroluminescent solution including: an electrochemiluminescent compound being reducible and oxidizable by an applied alternating electric potential to an anion radical and a cation radical less stable than said anion radical, an additive compound capable of producing a stable additive compound cation radical more stable than the cation radical of said electrochemiluminescent compound at a potential lower than the potential at which the cation radical of said electrochemiluminescent compound is produced, whereby the stable additive compound cation radical is formed in preference to the less stable electrochemiluminescent compound cation radical under the influence of said alternating potential, the anion radical of said electrochemiluminescent compound and the preferentially formed stable additive compound cation radical capable of directly producing upon reaction together a change in enthalpy greater than the lowest excited singlet state of said electrochemiluminescent compound, whereby said electrochemiluminescent compound is formed in an excited electronic state and thereby emits light, an electrolyte, and an aprotic solvent for said electrochemiluminescent compound.

Claim 37

An electrochemiluminescent solution including: an electrochemiluminescent compound capable of producing under the influence of an applied alternating electric potential only one ion radical, an additive compound capable of producing under the influence of said applied alternating electric potential a stable additive compound radical having an electrical charge opposite the electrical charge of the electrochemiluminescent compound ion radical, the electrochemiluminescent compound ion radical and the stable additive compound ion radical capable of directly producing upon reaction together a change in enthalpy greater than the lowest excited singlet state of said electrochemiluminescent compound, whereby said electrochemiluminescent compound is formed in an electronically excited state and returns to its ground state with the emission of light, an electrolyte, and an aprotic solvent for said electroluminescent compound.

Claim 38

An electrochemiluminescent solution including: an electrochemiluminescent compound capable of producing under the influence of an applied alternating electric potential only one ion radical, an additive compound capable of producing under the influence of said applied alternating electric potential a stable additive compound radical having an electrical charge opposite the electrical charge of the electrochemiluminescent compound ion radical, the electrochemiluminescent compound ion radical and the stable additive compound ion radical capable of directly producing upon reaction together a change in enthalpy greater than the lowest excited singlet state of said electrochemiluminescent compound, whereby said electrochemiluminescent compound is formed in an electronically excited state and returns to its ground state with the emission of light, an electrolyte, and an aprotic solvent for said electroluminescent compound.

Claim 39

The solution of claim 31, wherein said electrochemiluminescent compound is capable of producing an anion radical under the influence of said applied alternating electric potential but not a cation radical.

Claim 40

The solution of claim 30, wherein said electrochemiluminescent compound is 2,5-bis(5-tert-butylbenzoxazolyl) (2) thiophene, and further wherein said additive compound is thianthrene.