Electrochromic Device and Method for Producing Same

• Main Authors: FORTUNATO ELVIRA MARIA CORRELA, HENRIQUES INES DOMINGUES DA SILVA, MARTINS RODRIGO FERRAO DE PAIVA, FERREIRA ISABEL MARIA MERCES, DA COSTA CLAUDIA BRITO
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 19.07.2012
• Subjects: APPLYING LIQUIDS OR OTHER FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL; DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS, THE OPTICAL OPERATION OF WHICH ISMODIFIED BY CHANGING THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MEDIUM OF THEDEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONTROL OF THE INTENSITY,COLOUR, PHASE, POLARISATION OR DIRECTION OF LIGHT, e.g.SWITCHING, GATING, MODULATING OR DEMODULATING; FREQUENCY-CHANGING; NON-LINEAR OPTICS; OPTICAL ANALOGUE/DIGITAL CONVERTERS; OPTICAL LOGIC ELEMENTS; OPTICS; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICS; PROCESSES FOR APPLYING LIQUIDS OR OTHER FLUENT MATERIALS TOSURFACES, IN GENERAL; SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; TECHNIQUES OR PROCEDURES FOR THE OPERATION THEREOF; TRANSPORTING

The present invention relates to electrochromic devices and methods for functionalizing cellulose-based materials, in production and post-production stages, in order to obtain solid-state electrochromic devices. The invention is in the field of electrochemistry. These functionalized cellulose-based materials have typical electrochromic characteristics, specifically the capacity to change the oxidation state, leading to a modification of the physical properties, shown by a color change when exposed to an electric potential difference, being this color change reversible. The color remains in the absence of any electric stimulus, demonstrating a memory effect. An example of an electrochromic device according to the present invention comprises a cellulose-based material soaked with a dispersion of electrochromic inorganic material nanoparticles or with a solution of electrochromic organic molecules, wherein the solution/dispersion contains at least one salt, and is finished by deposition of an electrode in each side of the cellulose-based material, wherein at least one of the electrodes is transparent.