Granted Patent B2

US 9,360,729 · App. 14/160,401 · Granted Jun 7, 2016

Abstract

Claims (37)

1. A multi-layer electrochromic structure comprising a first substrate and an anodic electrochromic layer comprising a lithium nickel oxide composition on the first substrate, the anodic electrochromic layer containing lithium, nickel, and at least one Group 6 metal selected from the group consisting of molybdenum and tungsten, wherein

(i) the atomic ratio of lithium to the combined amount of nickel and such Group 6 metal(s) in the anodic electrochromic layer is at least 0.4:1, respectively,

(ii) the atomic ratio of the amount of such Group 6 metal(s) to the combined amount of nickel and such Group 6 metal(s) in the anodic electrochromic layer is at least about 0.025:1, respectively, and

(iii) the anodic electrochromic layer exhibits a largest interplanar distance (d-spacing) of at least 2.75 Å as measured by X-ray diffraction (XRD).

2. The multi-layer electrochromic structure of claim 1 ,

wherein the anodic electrochromic layer has a coloration efficiency absolute value of at least 19 cm 2 /C.

3. The multi-layer electrochromic structure of claim 1 wherein the anodic electrochromic layer comprises tungsten.

4. The multi-layer electrochromic structure of claim 3 wherein

(i) the atomic ratio of lithium to the combined amount of nickel and tungsten in the anodic electrochromic layer is at least 0.4:1, respectively, and

(ii) the atomic ratio of the amount of tungsten to the combined amount of nickel and tungsten in the anodic electrochromic layer is about 0.025:1 to about 0.8:1, respectively.

5. The multi-layer electrochromic structure of claim 4 wherein the atomic ratio of lithium to the combined amount of nickel and tungsten in the anodic electrochromic layer is in the range about 0.7:1 to about 1.5:1, respectively.

6. The multi-layer electrochromic structure of claim 4 wherein the atomic ratio of tungsten to the combined amount of nickel and tungsten in the anodic electrochromic layer is in the range of about 0.1:1 and about 0.6:1, respectively.

7. The multi-layer electrochromic structure of claim 1 wherein the anodic electrochromic layer comprises molybdenum.

8. The multi-layer electrochromic structure of claim 7 wherein

(i) the atomic ratio of lithium to the combined amount of nickel and molybdenum in the anodic electrochromic layer is at least 0.4:1, respectively, and

(ii) the atomic ratio of the amount of molybdenum to the combined amount of nickel and molybdenum in the anodic electrochromic layer is about 0.025:1 to about 0.8:1, respectively.

9. The multi-layer electrochromic structure of claim 8 wherein the atomic ratio of lithium to the combined amount of nickel and molybdenum in the anodic electrochromic layer is in the range about 0.75:1 to about 3:1, respectively.

10. The multi-layer electrochromic structure of claim 8 wherein the atomic ratio of molybdenum to the combined amount of nickel and molybdenum in the anodic electrochromic layer is in the range of about 0.1:1 and about 0.6:1, respectively.

11. The multi-layer electrochromic structure of claim 1 wherein

(i) the atomic ratio of lithium to the combined amount of nickel, tungsten, and molybdenum in the anodic electrochromic layer is at least 0.4:1, respectively, and

(ii) the atomic ratio of the combined amount of tungsten and molybdenum to the combined amount of nickel, tungsten and molybdenum in the anodic electrochromic layer is about 0.025:1 to about 0.8:1, respectively.

12. The multi-layer electrochromic structure of claim 11 wherein (i) the anodic electrochromic layer comprises at least one bleached state stabilizing element selected from the group consisting of Y, Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, B, Al, Ga, In, Si, Ge, Sn, P, and Sb, (ii) the atomic ratio of lithium to the combined amount of nickel, tungsten, molybdenum and the bleached state stabilizing element(s) in the anodic electrochromic layer is at least 0.4:1, respectively, and (iii) the atomic ratio of the combined amount of tungsten, molybdenum and the bleached state stabilizing element(s) to the combined amount of nickel, tungsten, molybdenum and the bleached state stabilizing elements in the anodic electrochromic layer is about 0.025:1 to about 0.8:1, respectively.

13. The multi-layer electrochromic structure of claim 12 wherein the anodic electrochromic layer has an average thickness between about 25 nm and about 2,000 nm.

14. The multi-layer electrochromic structure of claim 12 wherein the first substrate comprises glass, plastic, metal, or metal-coated glass or plastic.

15. The multi-layer electrochromic structure of claim 12 wherein the anodic electrochromic layer comprises at least 0.05 wt. % carbon.

16. The multi-layer electrochromic structure of claim 12 wherein the anodic electrochromic layer has a coloration efficiency absolute value of at least about 19 cm 2 /C.

17. The multi-layer electrochromic structure of claim 12 wherein the anodic electrochromic layer has a bleached state voltage of at least 2V.

18. The multi-layer electrochromic structure of claim 1 wherein the multi-layer electrochromic structure further comprises a first electrically conductive oxide layer and the first electrically conductive oxide layer is between the anodic electrochromic layer and the first substrate.

19. A multi-layer electrochromic structure of claim 18 wherein the multi-layer electrochromic structure further comprises a second substrate, a second electrically conductive layer, a cathode layer, and an ion conductor layer, wherein the anodic electrochromic layer is between the first electrically conductive layer and the ion conductor layer, the second electrically conductive layer is between the cathode layer and the second substrate, the cathode layer is between the second electrically conductive layer and the ion conductor layer, and the ion conductor layer is between the cathode layer and the anodic electrochromic layer.

20. The multi-layer electrochromic structure of claim 1 wherein the anodic electrochromic layer exhibits long range ordering as measured by the presence of at least one reflection peak in the XRD pattern below 26 degrees (20) when measured with copper Kα radiation.

21. The multi-layer electrochromic structure of claim 1 wherein the anodic electrochromic layer comprises at least 0.05 wt. % carbon.

22. The multi-layer electrochromic structure of claim 1 wherein the anodic electrochromic layer has a coloration efficiency absolute value of at least about 19 cm 2 /C.

23. The multi-layer electrochromic structure of claim 1 wherein the anodic electrochromic layer has a bleached state voltage of at least 2V.

24. A multi-layer electrochromic structure comprising a first substrate and an anodic electrochromic layer comprising a lithium nickel oxide composition on the first substrate, the anodic electrochromic layer containing lithium, nickel, and at least one Group 6 metal selected from the group consisting of molybdenum and tungsten, wherein

(i) the atomic ratio of lithium to the combined amount of nickel and such Group 6 metal(s) in the anodic electrochromic layer is at least 0.4:1, respectively,

(ii) the atomic ratio of the amount of such Group 6 metal(s) to the combined amount of nickel and such Group 6 metal(s) in the anodic electrochromic layer is at least about 0.025:1, respectively, and

(iii) the anodic electrochromic layer comprises at least 0.05 wt. % carbon.

Assignments (18)