ELECTROCHROMIC MODULE AND DRIVING METHOD FOR ELECTROCHROMIC DEVICE

Abstract

An electrochromic module and a driving method for an electrochromic are provided. The electrochromic module has an electrochromic device provided so as to be colored or bleached depending on an applied drive voltage, a sensing part for sensing an external temperature of the electrochromic device, a control part for determining an application time of a voltage satisfying a particular Relation Equation depending on the sensed external temperature, and a power supply part for applying a voltage to the electrochromic device by the determined application time.

Claims

1. An electrochromic module comprising: an electrochromic device provided so as to be colored or bleached depending on an applied drive voltage; a temperature sensing part for sensing an external temperature of the electrochromic device; a control part for determining an application time of a voltage satisfying Relation Equation 1 below depending on the sensed external temperature: [Relation Equation 1] $\begin{array}{cc}380.3.Math..Math.\exp \left(-\frac{x}{8.1}\right)+5.8<y<-0.24.Math..Math.\exp \left(\frac{x}{10.5}\right)+100.2& \left[\mathrm{Relation}.Math..Math.\mathrm{Equation}.Math..Math.1\right]\end{array}$ wherein, x is the sensed external temperature ( C.), and y is the application time (sec) of the drive voltage, where x is 40 C. to 150 C.; and a power supply part for applying a voltage to the electrochromic device by the determined application time.

2. The electrochromic module according to claim 1, wherein the electrochromic device comprises a first electrode, an electrochromic layer comprising a first electrochromic material, an electrolyte layer, an ion storage layer comprising a second electrochromic material having a chromogenic characteristic complementary with the first electrochromic material and a second electrode.

3. The electrochromic module according to claim 2, wherein the first electrochromic layer comprises one of a reducing electrochromic material or an oxidizing electrochromic material and the second electrochromic layer comprises the other of the reducing electrochromic material or the oxidizing electrochromic material.

4. The electrochromic module according to claim 3, wherein the reducing electrochromic material is at least one of titanium oxide, vanadium oxide, niobium oxide, tantalum oxide, molybdenum oxide and tungsten oxide.

5. The electrochromic module according to claim 3, wherein the oxidizing electrochromic material is at least one of Prussian blue, cobalt oxide, ruthenium oxide, iridium oxide, nickel oxide, chromium oxide, manganese oxide and iron oxide.

6. The electrochromic module according to claim 2, wherein the first electrochromic material included in the electrochromic layer is Prussian blue, and the second electrochromic material included in the ion storage layer is tungsten oxide.

7. The electrochromic module according to claim 3, wherein the reducing electrochromic material and the oxidizing electrochromic material have a diameter of 200 nm or less.

8. The electrochromic module according to claim 2, wherein the electrochromic layer and the ion storage layer have a thickness of 100 nm to 500 nm.

9. A driving method for an electrochromic device comprising: sensing an external temperature of the electrochromic device; determining an application time of a voltage satisfying Relation Equation 1 below depending on the sensed external temperature: [Relation Equation 1] $\begin{array}{cc}380.3.Math..Math.\exp \left(-\frac{x}{8.1}\right)+5.8<y<-0.24.Math..Math.\exp \left(\frac{x}{10.5}\right)+100.2& \left[\mathrm{Relation}.Math..Math.\mathrm{Equation}.Math..Math.1\right]\end{array}$ wherein, x is the sensed external temperature ( C.), and y is the application time (sec) of the drive voltage, where x is 40 C. to 150 C.; and applying a voltage to the electrochromic device by the determined application time.

10. The driving method for an electrochromic device according to claim 9, wherein the electrochromic device comprises a first electrode, an electrochromic layer comprising a first electrochromic material, an electrolyte layer, an ion storage layer comprising a second electrochromic material having a chromogenic characteristic complementary with the first electrochromic material and a second electrode.

11. The driving method for an electrochromic device according to claim 10, wherein the first electrochromic layer comprises a reducing electrochromic material or an oxidizing electrochromic material and the second electrochromic layer comprises the other of the reducing electrochromic material or the oxidizing electrochromic material.

12. The driving method for an electrochromic device according to claim 11, wherein the reducing electrochromic material is at least one of titanium oxide, vanadium oxide, niobium oxide, tantalum oxide, molybdenum oxide and tungsten oxide.

13. The driving method for an electrochromic device according to claim 11, wherein the oxidizing electrochromic material is at least one of Prussian blue, cobalt oxide, ruthenium oxide, iridium oxide, nickel oxide, chromium oxide, manganese oxide and iron oxide.

14. The driving method for an electrochromic device according to claim 10, wherein the first electrochromic material included in the electrochromic layer is Prussian blue, and the second electrochromic material included in the ion storage layer is tungsten oxide.

15. The driving method for an electrochromic device according to claim 11, wherein the reducing electrochromic material and the oxidizing electrochromic material have a diameter of 200 nm or less.

16. The driving method for an electrochromic device according to claim 10, wherein the electrochromic layer and the ion storage layer have a thickness of 100 nm to 500 nm.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0036] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an electrochromic module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0037] FIG. 2 is a schematic view of an electrochromic device of the electrochromic module of FIG. 1.

[0038] FIGS. 3A and 3B are schematic views of the electrochromic layer and the ion storage layer, respectively, for the electrochromic device of FIG. 2.

[0039] FIG. 4 is a flow chart of a driving method for an electrochromic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0040] FIG. 5 is a graph showing charge amount changes of Production Example 1 depending on temperatures.

[0041] FIG. 6 is a graph showing charge amount changes of Production Example 2 depending on temperatures.

[0042] FIG. 7 is a graph showing application times of a supply voltage in an electrochromic device depending on external temperatures.

[0043] FIG. 8 is a table showing Relation Equations of each curved line shown in FIG. 7

MODE FOR INVENTION

[0044] The present disclosure will be more apparent from description of preferred embodiments of the present disclosure with reference to the accompanying drawings. The embodiments described herein are exemplary only for better understanding of the present disclosure, and it should be understood that the present disclosure may be implemented by making various modifications to the embodiments described herein. In addition, for better understanding of the present disclosure, in the attached drawings, instead of real scale, dimensions of some components may be exaggerated.

[0045] FIGS. 1 and 2 show an electrochromic module and an electrochromic device of the electrochromic module of the present disclosure. FIGS. 3A and 3B are schematic views of the electrochromic layer and the ion storage layer for the electrochromic device of FIG. 2

[0046] Referring to FIG. 1, an electrochromic module 100 includes an electrochromic device 200 which is provided so as to be colored or bleached depending on an applied drive voltage. The electrochromic module 100 also includes a temperature sensing part 300 for sensing an external temperature of the electrochromic device 200 and a control part 400 for determining an application time of a voltage that satisfies the Relation Equation 1 below depending on the sensed external temperature:

[00003]$\begin{array}{cc}380.3.Math..Math.\exp \left(-\frac{x}{8.1}\right)+5.8<y<-0.24.Math..Math.\exp \left(\frac{x}{10.5}\right)+100.2& \left[\mathrm{Relation}.Math..Math.\mathrm{Equation}.Math..Math.1\right]\end{array}$

[0047] In Relation Equation 1 above, x is the sensed external temperature ( C.), and y is the application time (sec) of the drive voltage, where x is 40 C. to 150 C. The electrochromic device also includes a power supply part 500 for applying a voltage to the electrochromic device 200 by the determined application time.

[0048] Referring to FIG. 2, the electrochromic device 200 of the electrochromic module includes a first electrode 210, an electrochromic layer 220 comprising a first electrochromic material 225, an electrolyte layer 230, an ion storage layer 240 comprising a second electrochromic material 245 having a chromogenic characteristic complementary with the first electrochromic material 225 and a second electrode 250.

[0049] The first electrochromic layer 220 may include one of a reducing electrochromic material or an oxidizing electrochromic material and the second electrochromic layer 240 may include the other of the reducing electrochromic material or the oxidizing electrochromic material. For example, the reducing electrochromic material may be at least one of titanium oxide, vanadium oxide, niobium oxide, tantalum oxide, molybdenum oxide and tungsten oxide. The oxidizing electrochromic material may be at least one of Prussian blue, cobalt oxide, ruthenium oxide, iridium oxide, nickel oxide, chromium oxide, manganese oxide and iron oxide. In particular, the first electrochromic material 225 included in the electrochromic layer 220 may be Prussian blue and the second electrochromic material 245 included in the ion storage layer 240 may be tungsten oxide.

[0050] In this embodiment, the reducing electrochromic material and the oxidizing electrochromic material may have a diameter of 200 nm or less. In addition, the electrochromic layer 220 and the ion storage layer 240 have a thickness of 100 nm to 500 nm.

[0051] FIG. 4 is a flow chart of a driving method for an electrochromic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0052] Referring to FIG. 4, a driving method for an electrochromic device 200 includes (S1) sensing an external temperature of the electrochromic device 200 and (S2) determining an application time of a voltage satisfying Relation Equation 1 below depending on the sensed external temperature:

[00004]$\begin{array}{cc}380.3.Math..Math.\exp \left(-\frac{x}{8.1}\right)+5.8<y<-0.24.Math..Math.\exp \left(\frac{x}{10.5}\right)+100.2& \left[\mathrm{Relation}.Math..Math.\mathrm{Equation}.Math..Math.1\right]\end{array}$

[0053] In Relation Equation 1 above, x is the sensed external temperature ( C.), and y is the application time (sec) of the drive voltage, where x is 40 C. to 150 C. The driving method also includes (S3) applying a voltage to the electrochromic device by the determined application time.

[0054] The electrochromic device may have the particulars described above and are not repeated here.

[0055] Hereinafter, more particular examples of the electrochromic device and driving method will be described in. However, the scope of protection of the present disclosure is not limited by the examples described below.

Production Example 1: Production of Electrode (Half-Cell)

[0056] A coating solution comprising tungsten oxide (WO.sub.3) particles was applied to an Indium tin oxide/polyethylene terephthalate (ITO/PET) base material and heat-treated to form an electrochromic layer having a thickness of 300 nm. The coating solution was applied by a bar coating method and then heat-treated at 130 C. for 3 minutes. At this time, the area of the electrode was set to 20 cm.sup.2 (4 cm5 cm). When the produced half-cell is colored from a bleached state at a voltage of 0.7 V and room temperature (RT), light transmittance upon coloring may be changed to 70 to 80%.

Production Example 2: Production of Counter Electrode (Half-Cell)

[0057] An electrode was produced in the same manner as in Production Example 1, except that an ion storage layer comprising PB particles was formed. When the produced half-cell is colored from a bleached state at a voltage of 0.7 V and room temperature (RT), light transmittance upon coloring may be changed to 70 to 80%.

[0058] Measurement of Optimum Reaction Charge Amount

[0059] When the voltage is continuously applied even after the color-switching of the electrochromic material is completed, an additional reaction and chemical degradation occur to decrease the durability of the electrochromic device, and thus, the charge amount supplied at the time when the color-switching is completed can be regarded as the optimum reaction charge amount. At this time, the time when the color-switching of the electrochromic material is completed may mean a time when 90% of the minimum light transmittance upon coloring is reached, if each half-cell as produced below is colored from a bleached state.

[0060] When the same voltage (0.7 V) was applied at room temperature (RT) to each of the half-cells of Production Example 1 and Production Example 2, the reaction charge amounts, which were changed depending on application times, were measured using Potentiostat. The measurement was performed after the coloring and bleaching of the device were repeated about 3 times to stabilize the coloring and bleaching degrees of the device, and the measured results are as shown in Table 1.

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Time (sec) 10 50 100 Charge amount Production Example 1 6 17 20 (mC/cm.sup.2) Production Example 2 6 11 15

[0061] In Table 1 above, it can be confirmed that when the external temperature and the applied voltage are the same, the reaction charge amount increases as the application time becomes longer.

[0062] In the case of Production Example 1, it could be confirmed that the color-switching of WO.sub.3 was completed at 100 seconds (light transmittance: 67%), and the optimum reaction charge amount was a level of 20 mC/cm.sup.2.

[0063] In the case of Production Example 2, it could be confirmed that the color-switching of PB was completed at 100 seconds (light transmittance: 67%), and the optimum reaction charge amount was a level of 15 mC/cm.sup.2.

[0064] Measurement of Charge Amount Depending on Temperature Change

[0065] The reaction charge amounts at the external temperatures of 40 C., 50 C. and 60 C. were measured to compare times to reach the optimum charge amount. The results of Production Example 1 are as shown in FIG. 5 and the results of Production Example 2 are as shown in FIG. 6.

[0066] In the half-cell of Production Example 1, as compared with the times to reach a level of 20 mC/cm.sup.2 which is the optimum reaction charge amount, it can be confirmed that the time to reach a level of 20 mC/cm.sup.2 which is the optimum reaction charge amount becomes shorter as the temperature increases.

[0067] In the half-cell of Production Example 2, the times to reach a level of 15 mC/cm.sup.2 which is the optimum reaction charge amount at the external temperatures of 40 C., 50 C. and 60 C. can be compared. It can be confirmed that the time to reach a level of 15 mC/cm.sup.2 which is the optimum reaction charge amount becomes shorter as the temperature increases.

[0068] Graph Showing Application Times Depending on Temperature Changes and Derivation of Relation Equation 1

[0069] For the coloring-bleaching of WO.sub.3 in Production Example 1 and the coloring-bleaching of PB in Production Example 2, the application times of the voltage depending on the external temperatures for supplying the optimum reaction charge amount were sensed and the results were shown in FIG. 7 and Relation Equation of each curved line are shown in FIG. 8 (using the origin program). Considering the region between the curved line according to the coloring of PB and the curved line according to the bleaching of WO.sub.3 in FIG. 7 as a range of application times for supplying the optimum charge amount, Relation Equation 1 can be derived through FIG. 7.

[00005]$\begin{array}{cc}380.3.Math..Math.\exp \left(-\frac{x}{8.1}\right)+5.8<y<-0.24.Math..Math.\exp \left(\frac{x}{10.5}\right)+100.2& \left[\mathrm{Relation}.Math..Math.\mathrm{Equation}.Math..Math.1\right]\end{array}$

[0070] In Relation Equation 1 above, x is the sensed external temperature ( C.) and y is the voltage application time (sec).