An electrochromic element including: a laminated body including a support formed of a resin, a first electrode layer, an electrochromic layer, and a second electrode layer, the support, the first electrode layer, the electrochromic layer, and the second electrode layer being disposed in the laminated body in this order; and a gel electrolyte disposed between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer, wherein a phase separation temperature of the gel electrolyte is higher than a softening point of the support.

An electro-optic device may comprise a first substrate having a first surface and a second surface; a second substrate having a third surface and a fourth surface, the second substrate disposed in a spaced-apart relationship relative to the first substrate such that the second and third surfaces are generally parallel to and face one another; a first electrode associated with the second surface; a second electrode associated with the third surface; a styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene (SEBS) anionic exchange membrane disposed between the first and second electrodes; a first compartment defined by the SEBS anionic exchange membrane and the first substrate; a second compartment defined by the SEBS anionic exchange membrane and the second substrate; a cathodic species disposed in the first compartment; and an anodic species disposed in the second compartment.

As an example of an EC element in which vertical color separation is suppressed, the present disclosure provides an EC element including a pair of electrodes, a solvent, an anodic EC compound, and a cathodic EC compound. In the EC element, the difference between a solvation free energy of an oxidized form of the anodic EC compound in water and a solvation free energy of the oxidized form in octanol is 35 kcal/mol or more, and the difference between a solvation free energy of a reduced form of the cathodic EC compound in propylene carbonate and a solvation free energy of the reduced form in octanol is −35 kcal/mol or less.

An electro-optic element includes a first electroactive compartment including an electroactive film having a first electroactive component and a second electroactive compartment including an electroactive solution or gel having a second electroactive component. An ion selective material is disposed between the first and second electroactive compartments and is configured to inhibit diffusion of the second electroactive component in an activated state from the second electroactive compartment to the first electroactive compartment. At least one of the first and second electroactive components is electrochromic such that the electro-optic element is configured to reversibly attenuate transmittance of light having a wavelength within a predetermined wavelength range when an electrical potential is applied to the electro-optic element.

An electrochromic device and an electrochromic method therefor are disclosed. The electrochromic device comprises a first substrate, a first transparent conductive layer, a first electrochromic layer, an electrolyte layer, a second electrochromic layer, a second transparent conductive layer, and a second substrate which are sequentially stacked. Both the first electrochromic layer and the second electrochromic layer are made of a cathode electrochromic material or made of an anodic electrochromic material. The electrochromic method for the electrochromic device comprises: circularly applying a voltage having a direction opposite to and same as that of a first voltage to a pretreated electrochromic device. Because a structure in which two layers of electrochromic layers are made of the anodic electrochromic material or the cathode electrochromic material is used, and a specific electrochromic method is combined, the switching between different colors can be performed, and a selection range of the electrochromic materials can be expanded.

A method of forming an electrochromic (EC) device includes forming a solid-state first electrolyte layer, after forming the solid-state first electrolyte layer, laminating the first solid-state first electrolyte layer between a transparent first substrate and a transparent second substrate such that a transparent first electrode is disposed between the first substrate and a first side of the solid-state first electrolyte layer, and a transparent second electrode is disposed between the second substrate and a second side of the solid-state first electrolyte layer, and applying a sealant to seal the solid-state first electrolyte layer between the first and second substrates and to form the EC device.

Various embodiments herein relate to electrochromic devices and electrochromic device precursors, as well as methods and apparatus for fabricating such electrochromic devices and electrochromic device precursors. In certain embodiments, the electrochromic device or precursor may include one or more particular materials such as a particular electrochromic material and/or a particular counter electrode material. In various implementations, the electrochromic material includes tungsten titanium molybdenum oxide. In these or other implementation, the counter electrode material may include nickel tungsten oxide, nickel tungsten tantalum oxide, nickel tungsten niobium oxide, nickel tungsten tin oxide, or another material.

An electrochromic device including an electrode layer, an electrochromic layer and a conductive band having a closed ring shape. The electrochromic device having the above structure has excellent color-switching speeds and electrochromic uniformity.

Conventional electrochromic devices frequently suffer from poor reliability and poor performance. Improvements are made using entirely solid and inorganic materials. Electrochromic devices are fabricated by forming an ion conducting electronically-insulating interfacial region that serves as an IC layer. In some methods, the interfacial region is formed after formation of an electrochromic and a counter electrode layer. The interfacial region contains an ion conducting electronically-insulating material along with components of the electrochromic and/or the counter electrode layer. Materials and microstructure of the electrochromic devices provide improvements in performance and reliability over conventional devices. In various embodiments, a counter electrode is fabricated to include a base anodically coloring material and one or more additives.

The embodiments herein relate to electrochromic stacks, electrochromic devices, and methods and apparatus for making such stacks and devices. In various embodiments, an anodically coloring layer in an electrochromic stack or device is fabricated to include nickel tungsten tantalum oxide (NiWTaO). This material is particularly beneficial in that it is very transparent in its clear state.