Transparent Electrochromic Polymer Synthesis and Multicolor Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current electrochromic materials face challenges in achieving transparency, film-forming ability, and electrochromicity, with inorganic oxides requiring expensive processing and having slow electrochromic rates and limited color variation, while organic conjugated polymers are costly to synthesize and limited in size due to electrode constraints, and require high energy to achieve transparency.
Innovation Solution
A transparent electrochromic polymer is developed by polymerizing 1 mole of diamine with 1 to 4 moles of epoxy compound, specifically formulated to balance color change contrast and film-forming ability, allowing for multicolor changes without the need for high energy consumption, using a combination of diamines and epoxy compounds in a ring-opening reaction to create a polymer with a weight average molecular weight of 1,000 to 300,000.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If inorganic oxide is used as electrochromic material, then lifetime and endurance are improved, but processing cost increases and electrochromic rate decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from inorganic oxide to organic conjugated polymer, fundamentally altering the electrochromic mechanism from inorganic ion insertion to organic radical formation. This parameter change enables faster electrochromic rates while maintaining reliability through the polymer's inherent stability and tunable properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite material design by combining conjugated polymer with specific dopants and additives to create an electrochromic film that achieves both fast response and long lifetime. The composite structure allows optimization of individual material properties to achieve superior overall performance.
2Reliability
If inorganic oxide is used as electrochromic material, then lifetime is improved, but processing equipment cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adopts inexpensive organic polymer materials and simple solution-processing techniques instead of expensive inorganic materials and complex vacuum deposition equipment. The organic polymer can be applied using cost-effective methods such as spin coating, dip coating, or inkjet printing, dramatically reducing equipment investment while maintaining product reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the material class from inorganic to organic, which fundamentally alters the manufacturing approach from requiring high-vacuum equipment to allowing solution-based processing. This parameter change enables production using standard laboratory and industrial coating equipment, significantly reducing capital costs.
3Productivity
If conjugated polymer is used as electrochromic material, then electrochromic rate and color variation are improved, but synthesis cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the polymer synthesis into modular components by using pre-synthesized building blocks and standardized coupling reactions. This segmentation simplifies the overall synthesis process, reduces the number of steps, and lowers costs while maintaining the conjugated structure necessary for fast electrochromic response and vibrant color changes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes polymer parameters such as molecular weight, degree of conjugation, and dopant concentration to achieve the desired electrochromic performance with simplified synthesis. By carefully controlling these parameters, the patent reduces synthesis complexity while maintaining fast electrochromic rates and excellent color variation.
4Ease of manufacture
If conjugated polymer with low molecular weight is used as electrochromic material, then synthesis cost is reduced, but area coverage is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic control of polymer molecular weight and architecture to optimize both cost and area coverage. By using controlled polymerization techniques and adjusting molecular weight distribution, the patent achieves complete film coverage over large areas while keeping synthesis costs low. The dynamic adjustment of polymer properties allows scaling from small to large area applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the polymer parameter of molecular weight to an optimal range that balances synthesis cost and area coverage. By selecting appropriate molecular weights and using efficient polymerization methods, the patent achieves comprehensive area coverage without excessive synthesis complexity or cost.
5Adaptability or versatility
If conjugated polymer is used as electrochromic material, then color variation is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes polymer parameters such as HOMO-LUMO gap, conjugation length, and dopant type to achieve vivid color changes with minimal energy input. By carefully selecting polymer structures and dopants, the patent reduces the voltage and energy required for electrochromic transitions while maintaining excellent color variation and multicolor change capabilities.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The polymer effectively transitions from colorless to specific colors (yellow green, sky blue, blue, or deep blue) upon voltage application, demonstrating excellent electrochemical properties and multicolor change capabilities with improved film-forming and thermal resistance, while maintaining transparency and reducing energy consumption.
Implementation Method 1
polymerized of 1 molar part of a diamine and 1 to 4 molar parts of an epoxy compound
Implementation Method 2
The polymer effectively transitions from colorless to specific colors (yellow green, sky blue, blue, or deep blue) upon voltage application
Data Source
AI summary
A transparent electrochromic polymer is provided, which is polymerized of 1 molar part of a diamine and 1 to 4 molar parts of epoxy compound. The diamine is Formula 1, Formula 2, or combinations thereof, and the epoxy compound is Formula 12, Formula 13, or combinations thereof. The disclosed also provides an electrochromic device, including a first transparent conductive layer, an electrochromic layer on the first transparent conductive layer, and an electrolyte layer on the electrolyte layer, wherein the electrochromic layer is the transparent electrochromic polymer, and a second transparent conductive layer on the electrolyte layer.