An electrochromic element includes: a first electrode; a second electrode; a peripheral sealing seal arranged between the first electrode and the second electrode; and an electrochromic layer arranged in a space demarcated by the first electrode, the second electrode, and the peripheral sealing seal, one of the first electrode and the second electrode is an anode electrode, and the other is a cathode electrode, the electrochromic layer is an electrochromic element having an anodic electrochromic compound and a cathodic electrochromic compound, the peripheral sealing seal is an anodic reaction-preferential peripheral sealing seal in which an oxidation reaction of the anodic electrochromic compound preferentially occurs near the peripheral sealing seal, and S.sub.A<S.sub.C, where S.sub.A is an area demarcated by the peripheral sealing seal of the anode electrode, and S.sub.C is an area demarcated by the peripheral sealing seal of the cathode electrode.

In one embodiment, an electrochromic device includes a single active layer configured to be alternately placed in a light-transmitting state in which relatively large amounts of light can be transmitted through the active layer and a light-blocking state in which relatively small amounts of light can be transmitted through the active layer, wherein the device comprises no other layers of material that contribute to transitioning between the two states.

Disclosed is a multilayer structure for an electrochromic cell, to a electrochromic cell and an ophthalmic device incorporating the multilayer structure, to corresponding uses of the multilayer structure, and to methods for manufacturing the multilayer structure, the electrochromic cell and the ophthalmic device. The multilayer structure includes:—a transparent flexible substrate including a thermoplastic polymeric film, the flexible substrate having two main surfaces, at least one being configurated to be a barrier to oxygen, water vapor and/or solvents, and—a electrically conductive layer which surmounts the flexible substrate to form a flexible first part of the electrochromic cell, the electrically conductive layer being configured to form an electrode of the electrochromic cell and including a deformable electrically conductive nanostructure. The flexible first part is formed to a curved shape defined by a first curvature including at least one of a cylindrical, toric and spherical curvature.

Disclosed is a multilayer structure for an electrochromic cell, to a electrochromic cell and an ophthalmic device incorporating the multilayer structure, to corresponding uses of the multilayer structure, and to methods for manufacturing the multilayer structure, the electrochromic cell and the ophthalmic device. The multilayer structure includes:—a transparent flexible substrate including a thermoplastic polymeric film, the flexible substrate having two main surfaces, at least one being configurated to be a barrier to oxygen, water vapor and/or solvents, and—a electrically conductive layer which surmounts the flexible substrate to form a flexible first part of the electrochromic cell, the electrically conductive layer being configured to form an electrode of the electrochromic cell and including a deformable electrically conductive nanostructure. The flexible first part is formed to a curved shape defined by a first curvature including at least one of a cylindrical, toric and spherical curvature.

Provided is an electrochromic display device including: a first substrate; a second substrate on the first substrate; an electrolyte layer disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate; a first transparent electrode provided between the electrolyte layer and the first substrate; second transparent electrodes provided between the electrolyte layer and the second substrate; a first electrochromic layer provided between the first transparent electrode and the electrolyte layer; and a second electrochromic layer provided between the second transparent electrodes and the electrolyte layer, wherein the second transparent electrodes each extend in a first direction and be disposed apart from each other in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, the second electrochromic layer extends between the second transparent electrodes and contacts a lower surface of the second substrate, the first electrochromic layer includes an inorganic electrochromic material, and the second electrochromic layer includes an organic electrochromic material.

Provided is an electrochromic display device including: a first substrate; a second substrate on the first substrate; an electrolyte layer disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate; a first transparent electrode provided between the electrolyte layer and the first substrate; second transparent electrodes provided between the electrolyte layer and the second substrate; a first electrochromic layer provided between the first transparent electrode and the electrolyte layer; and a second electrochromic layer provided between the second transparent electrodes and the electrolyte layer, wherein the second transparent electrodes each extend in a first direction and be disposed apart from each other in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, the second electrochromic layer extends between the second transparent electrodes and contacts a lower surface of the second substrate, the first electrochromic layer includes an inorganic electrochromic material, and the second electrochromic layer includes an organic electrochromic material.

An electrochromic energy storage device disclosed herein comprises a first electrode and a second electrode disposed in an electrolyte, wherein the first electrode comprises a coordination polymer, wherein the coordination polymer comprises a transition metal and a tetradentate ligand conjugated to the transition metal, wherein the transition metal and the tetradentate ligand render the first electrode operable to (i) store electrical energy and at the same time change its optical state upon electrical charging of the electrochromic energy storage device, and (ii) release electrical energy stored therein and at the same time change its optical state upon electrical discharge of the electrochromic energy storage device. A method of forming the electrochromic energy storage device and a method of forming an electrochromic energy storage film are disclosed herein. In a preferred embodiment, the first electrode is prepared by growing one dimensional π-d conjugated coordination polymer nanowires film comprising metallic nickel nodes and organic linkers of 1,2,4,5-benzenetetramine (BTA) on a transparent fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) conducting substrate.

An image pickup apparatus including an electrochromic element, wherein the electrochromic element includes a complementary-type EC layer including a solvent and an anodic redox substance and a cathodic redox substance dissolved in the solvent, and image processing is performed based on a charge imbalance current flowing between a first electrode and a second electrode when a voltage lower than the voltage causing a substantial change in the transmittance of the EC layer is applied between the first electrode and the second electrode.

An image pickup apparatus including an electrochromic element, wherein the electrochromic element includes a complementary-type EC layer including a solvent and an anodic redox substance and a cathodic redox substance dissolved in the solvent, and image processing is performed based on a charge imbalance current flowing between a first electrode and a second electrode when a voltage lower than the voltage causing a substantial change in the transmittance of the EC layer is applied between the first electrode and the second electrode.

This disclosure provides compositions of electrochromic dyes, functionalized electrochromic dyes and dye macromers which may be incorporated into electrochromic devices with tailored optical properties. The disclosure provides an electrochromic dye with an attached functionalization group wherein the said dye colors by at least one of oxidation and reduction and contains at least two moieties wherein a first moiety is electrochromic and a second moiety is an electrochromic moiety, an electron donating moiety, or an electron receiving moiety and wherein the functionalization group. This disclosure also provides EC compositions and devices for controlling color.