Electrochemical structure

Abstract

An electrochemical structure is disclosed, including a first electrochemically active element and an electrolyte, arranged near or in contact with the first electrochemically active element. In at least one embodiment, the electrolyte is deformable and/or movable between a first state, wherein the structure provides a first electric characteristic, and a second state, wherein the structure provides a second, different electric characteristic.

1 . An electrochemical structure comprising:
 a first electrochemically active element; and   an electrolyte, arranged near or in contact with the first electrochemically active element, the electrolyte being at least one of deformable and movable between:   a first state, wherein the structure provides a first electric characteristic, and   a second state, wherein the structure, provides a second, different electric characteristic.   
   
   
       2 . The structure as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a prerequisite for a redox reaction of the first electrochemically active element differs between said first and second states. 
   
   
       3 . The structure as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the electric characteristic of the first and second states differ due to a redox reaction of the first electrochemically active element. 
   
   
       4 . The structure as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the redox reaction is a reaction between the first electrochemically active element and the electrolyte. 
   
   
       5 . The structure as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the first and second states differ with respect to a condition for a faradic reaction of the first electrochemically active element. 
   
   
       6 . The structure as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the first electrochemically active element is formed as a first material layer supported directly or indirectly by a substrate, and wherein the electrolyte is formed as a second material layer, supported directly or indirectly by the substrate. 
   
   
       7 . The structure as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the substrate is a flexible sheet. 
   
   
       8 . The structure as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte is deformable in response to at least one of a force and a pressure being applied to it. 
   
   
       9 . The structure as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte is deformable in response to a change in an external parameter. 
   
   
       10 . The structure as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the electrolyte is deformable in response to at least one of a change in temperature, a change in pressure, a chemical reaction, and adsorption or absorption of a compound. 
   
   
       11 . The structure as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte is a gel. 
   
   
       12 . The structure as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte is adhesive, providing a structure having a substantially irreversible operation. 
   
   
       13 . The structure as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a first electrolyte portion is hydrophilic, and a second electrolyte portion is hydrophobic, providing a structure having a substantially reversible operation. 
   
   
       14 . The structure as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte is resilient. 
   
   
       15 . The structure as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the electrochemically active element is selected from a group consisting of a metal, an electrochemically active polymer material and an electrochemically active ceramic material. 
   
   
       16 . The structure as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein, in the first state, the electrolyte is spaced from the electrochemically active material, and, in the second state, the electrolyte is in contact with the electrochemically active material. 
   
   
       17 . The structure as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein, in the first state, the electrolyte comprises at least two separate electrolyte portions, which are ionically insulated from each other and from the first electrochemically active element, and wherein, in the second state, at least one of the electrolyte portions is in contact with the first electrochemically active element. 
   
   
       18 . The structure as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the electrochemically active element presents at least two spaced apart electrolyte contact portions, aligned with said at least two separate electrolyte portions, respectively, and wherein a detection point is provided in or on the electrochemically active element, between said electrolyte contact portions, such that a potential is detectable at said detection point. 
   
   
       19 . The structure as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a second electrochemically active element is spaced from the first electrochemically active element, and wherein the electrolyte, in the first state, is spaced from at least one of the first and second electrochemically active elements, and in the second state, contacts both electrochemically active elements. 
   
   
       20 . The structure as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein a first electrolyte portion is arranged on the first electrochemically active element and a second electrolyte portion is arranged on the second electrochemically active element, whereby at least one of the electrolyte portions is deformable to provide said ionic contact with at least one of the other electrolyte portion and with the other electrochemically active element. 
   
   
       21 . The structure as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein both electrolyte portions are deformable. 
   
   
       22 . The structure as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein the electrolyte portion is arranged on only on one of the electrochemically active elements, and wherein the electrolyte portion is deformable to contact both electrochemically active elements. 
   
   
       23 . The structure as claimed in  claim 10  wherein the first electrolyte portion, in the first state, is spaced from both electrochemically active elements. 
   
   
       24 . The structure as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein, in the first state, a separator is provided to prevent said electrolyte portion from contacting both electrochemically active elements, and wherein the second state is achievable only subsequent to at least one of removal and modification of the separator. 
   
   
       25 . The structure as claimed in  claim 24 , wherein the separator is degradable by influence of at least one of a chemical substance, an enzyme, temperature and radiation. 
   
   
       26 . The structure as claimed in  claim 24 , wherein the electrolyte portions are deformable in response to said separator being removed to provide said ionic contact with at least one of the other electrolyte and the other electrochemically active element. 
   
   
       27 . The structure as claimed in  claim 20 , further comprising an intermediate electrochemically active element arranged between and spaced from the first and second electrochemically active elements, whereby the first electrolyte portion, in the first state contacts said first electrochemically active element and said intermediate electrochemically active element and is insulated from the second electrochemically active element, and wherein the first electrolyte portion, in the second state, provides ionic contact between the first, second and third electrochemically active elements. 
   
   
       28 . The structure as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a second electrochemically active element is spaced from the first electrochemically active element, and wherein an intermediate electrochemically active element is arranged between and spaced from the first and second electrochemically active elements,
 wherein, in the first state, the intermediate electrochemically active element is ionically and electrically insulated from said first and second electrochemically active elements,   wherein, in the second state, the intermediate electrochemically active element is in ionic contact with the first and second electrochemically active elements, and   wherein, in the second state, the first and second electrochemically active elements are ionically insulated from each other.   
   
   
       29 . The structure as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein the first and second electrochemically active elements are arranged in a common plane, and wherein the electrolyte portion, in the first state, is arranged in a plane substantially parallel with and spaced from the common plane. 
   
   
       30 . The structure as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein the first and second electrochemically active elements are arranged in first and second separate, substantially parallel planes and wherein the electrolyte portion is arranged in a third plane between said first and second planes. 
   
   
       31 . A switch comprising a structure as claimed in  claim 1 . 
   
   
       32 . A transistor element, comprising a structure as claimed in  claim 1 . 
   
   
       33 . The transistor element as claimed in  claim 32 , wherein the first electrochemically active element forms part of a connection between a source and a drain of the transistor. 
   
   
       34 . A switch comprising the structure as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte comprises first and second electrolyte components, which in the first state are separated from each other, thereby rendering the electrolyte substantially non-ionically conducting, and wherein the electrolyte components are mixable upon said deformation, thereby rendering the electrolyte ionically conducting in the second state. 
   
   
       35 . The switch as claimed in  claim 34 , wherein the electrolyte components, in the first state, are arranged on opposite sides of the first electrochemically active element, and whereby the first electrochemically active element is permeable to at least one of said electrolyte components. 
   
   
       36 . The switch as claimed in  claim 34 , wherein at least one of the components, in the first state, is encapsulated. 
   
   
       37 . An electrochemical switch for controlling a current flow in an electrical circuit, the switch comprising:
 a first electrochemically active element;   a second electrochemically active element; and   an electrolyte, arranged in contact with the first and second electrochemically active elements, the electrolyte being deformable between
 a first state, wherein the switch, through a redox reaction between at least one of the electrochemically active elements and the electrolyte, provides a first electric characteristic, and 
 a second state, wherein the switch, through electrical contact between the first and second electrochemically active elements, provides a second, different electric characteristic. 
   
   
   
       38 . A switch for controlling a current flow in an electrical circuit, the switch comprising:
 a first electrode;   a second electrode; and   a dielectricum, arranged in contact with the first and second electrodes, the dielectricum being deformable between
 a first state, wherein the switch is open, and 
 a second state, wherein the first and second electrodes contact each other such that such that the switch is closed.