Electrochemical device, such as an electrically controlled system with variable optical and/or energy properties
An electrochemical device includes at least one carrier substrate, and a stack of functional layers including at least one electrically conducting layer that includes metal oxide(s), and a multicomponent electrode including at least one electrochemically active layer, at least one higher-conductivity material and at least one network of one of conducting wires and conducting strips. The higher-conductivity material has a surface resistance that is lower than a surface resistance of the electrically conducting layer. The stack of functional layers is arranged between two substrates, and each may be rigid, of glass type or rigid polymer or semi-rigid or flexible of PET type.
1. An electrochemical device comprising:
at least one electronically conducting layer comprising at least one metal oxide;
a multicomponent electrode comprising at least one electrochemically active layer and at least one network of conducting strips, wherein:
the at least one electronically conducting layer and the multicomponent electrode are arranged between two rigid or semi-rigid substrates, the substrates comprising at least one of glass and a polymer; and
the at least one electronically conducting layer comprises zinc oxide doped with aluminum or fluorine.
2. The electrochemical device of claim 1 , wherein:
the substrates comprise polycarbonate.
3. The electrochemical device of claim 1 , wherein:
the substrates comprise methyl polymethacrylate.
4. The electrochemical device of claim 1 , wherein:
the at least one electronically conducting layer and the at least one electrochemically active layer are transparent.
5. The electrochemical device of claim 1 , wherein:
the at least one electronically conducting layer and the at least one electrochemically active layer are absorbent.
6. The electrochemical device of claim 4 , wherein:
the at least one electronically conducting layer and the at least one electrochemically active layer are absorbent.
7. The electrochemical device of claim 1 , wherein:
the at least one network comprises a plurality of silver-based conducting strips.
8. An electrochemical device comprising:
at least one electronically conducting layer comprising at least one metal oxide;
a multicomponent electrode comprising at least one electrochemically active layer and at least one network of conducting strips, wherein:
the at least one electronically conducting layer and the multicomponent electrode are arranged between two rigid or semi-rigid substrates, the substrates comprising at least one of glass and a polymer; and
the at least one network comprises a plurality of silver-based conducting strips obtained using a low melting point frit in an organic binder.
9. The electrochemical device of claim 1 , wherein:
the multicomponent electrode further comprises current leads in the form of metal braids or shims.
10. The electrochemical device of claim 1 , wherein:
the at least one electronically conducting layer comprises tin oxide doped with fluorine or antimony.
11. The electrochemical device of claim 1 , wherein:
the at least one electronically conducting layer comprises indium oxide doped with tin.
12. An electrochemical device comprising:
at least one electronically conducting layer comprising at least one metal oxide;
a multicomponent electrode comprising at least one electrochemically active layer and at least one network of one of conducting wires and conducting strips, wherein:
the at least one electronically conducting layer and the multicomponent electrode are arranged between two substrates, at least one of the substrates being flexible; and
the at least one electronically conducting layer comprises zinc oxide doped with aluminum or fluorine.
13. The electrochemical device of claim 12 , wherein:
the at least one flexible substrate comprises polyethylene terephthalate.
14. The electrochemical device of claim 12 , wherein:
the at least one network comprises a plurality of essentially metallic wires surface-laid on a thermoplastic polymer.
15. An electrochemical device comprising:
at least one electronically conducting layer comprising at least one metal oxide;
a multicomponent electrode comprising at least one electrochemically active layer and at least one network of one of conducting wires and conducting strips, wherein:
the at least one electronically conducting layer and the multicomponent electrode are arranged between two substrates, at least one of the substrates being flexible; and
the at least one network comprises a plurality of silver-based conducting strips obtained using a low melting point frit in an organic binder.
16. The electrochemical device of claim 12 , wherein:
the multicomponent electrode further comprises current leads in the form of metal braids or shims.
17. The electrochemical device of claim 12 , wherein:
the at least one electronically conducting layer comprises tin oxide doped with fluorine or antimony.
18. The electrochemical device of claim 12 , wherein:
the at least one electronically conducting layer comprises indium oxide doped with tin.
19. An electrochemical energy storage device comprising:
at least one electronically conducting layer comprising at least one metal oxide;
a multicomponent electrode comprising at least one electrochemically active layer, at least one network of one of conducting wires and conducting strips, and a perforated metallic sheet or grid.