Electrochemical device
This invention relates to a printable composition and in particular to a printable composition for application to an electrochromic and/or electrochemical device. The printable electrolyte composition for the production of electrochemical devices comprises: 20-50% by weight, based on the total amount of the composition, of a thermally-curable base which comprises a resin; 20-70% by weight, based on the total amount of the composition, of a solvent; and 10-50% by weight, based on the total amount of the composition, of an electrolyte, wherein the composition has a viscosity of 0.3 Pas or higher.
1. An electrochemical device, comprising:
a flexible substrate;
a first and a second layer of electrically conductive and electrochemically active material, which are spatially separated from each other and carried by said flexible substrate;
an electrolyte composition, which ionically connects said first and said second layer,
wherein the redox state of said first layer is controllable by means of a voltage applied across said electrolyte composition, and wherein said first layer is arranged such that a change in the redox state alters the electrical conductivity of said first layer, and
the electrolyte composition includes, before drying and curing,
(i) 20-50% by weight, based on the total amount of the electrolyte composition, of a radiation-curable base which comprises
(a) a radiation-curable (meth)acrylate oligomer,
(b) a (meth)acrylate monomer, and
(c) a photoinitiator,
(ii) 20-50% by weight, based on the total amount of the electrolyte composition, of water, and
(iii) 10-50% by weight, based on the total amount of the electrolyte composition, of an electrolyte, wherein the electrolyte composition has a viscosity of 0.3 Pas or higher.
2. A device according claim 1 , wherein said electrolyte composition is sandwiched between said first and second layer.
3. A device according to claim 2 , wherein said electrolyte composition is in contact with a respective surface of said first and second layer, wherein said surfaces faces the in same direction.
4. A device according to claim 1 , wherein said first electrochemically active material is arranged to the side of said second electrochemically active material.
5. A device according to claim 1 , wherein said electrolyte composition overlaps a portion of said first electrochemically active material as well as a portion of said second electrochemically active material.
6. A device according to claim 1 , wherein said substrate is made of paper or plastic or a combination thereof.
7. A device according to claim 1 , wherein said electrochemically active material comprises an electrically conductive polymer.
8. A device according to claim 7 , wherein said electrically conductive polymer is electrochromic.
9. A device according to claim 1 , wherein said device is a transistor.
10. A device according to claim 1 further comprising an encapsulation covering the electrolyte composition.
11. A method of manufacturing an electrochemical device comprising the steps of:
providing a flexible substrate carrying a first and a second layer of electrically conductive and electrochemically active material, wherein said layers are spatially separated from each other;
printing a layer of a printable electrolyte composition,
wherein the printable electrolyte composition ionically connects the first and second layer, and
wherein the printable electrolyte composition includes, before drying and curing,
(i) 20-50% by weight, based on the total amount of the composition, of a radiation-curable base which comprises
(a) a radiation-curable (meth)acrylate oligomer,
(b) a (meth)acrylate monomer, and
(c) a photoinitiator,
(ii) 20-50% by weight, based on the total amount of the composition, of water, and
(iii) 10-50% by weight, based on the total amount of the composition, of an electrolyte, wherein the composition has a viscosity of 0.3 Pas or higher; and
curing the printable electrolyte composition by irradiating the printable electrolyte composition with actinic radiation,
wherein a redox state of said first layer is controllable by means of a voltage applied across said printable electrolyte composition, and
wherein said first layer is arranged such that a change in the redox state of the first layer alters the electrical conductivity of said first layer.
12. A method of manufacturing according to claim 11 , wherein the actinic radiation is UV radiation.
13. A method of manufacturing according claim 11 , further comprising the step of arranging an encapsulation covering said electrolyte.
14. A method of manufacturing according claim 11 , wherein said electrochemically active material is a conductive polymer film.