Gel electrolyte precursor compositions, electrochromic devices including gel electorlytes, and manufacturing methods thereof

Abstract

A gel electrolyte precursor composition, an electrochromic device including a gel electrolyte formed from the precursor composition, and methods of forming the electrochromic device, the precursor composition including polymer network precursors including polyurethane acrylate oligomers, an ionically conducting phase, and an initiator.

1 . A gel electrolyte precursor composition comprising:
 polymer network precursors comprising polyurethane acrylate oligomers;   an ionically conducting phase; and   an initiator.   
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the polymer network precursors further comprise adhesion promoting monomers selected from isobornyl acrylate (IBOA), ethoxylated nonylphenol acrylate, poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA), polyethylene glycol dimethacrylate (PEGDMA), trimethylolpropane triacrylate (TMPTA), ethoxyethoxyethyl acrylate, tripropylene glycol diacrylate (TPGDA), butyl acrylate (BA), hexanediol diacrylate (HDDA), or any combinations thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 2 , wherein from about 10% and about 60% of the adhesion promoting monomers are crosslinked, such that he composition has a viscosity ranging from about 1,000 centipoise (cP) to about 80,000 cP. 
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 2 , wherein the adhesion promoting monomers comprise IBOA. 
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 2 , wherein from about 10% and about 60% of the polymer network precursors are crosslinked, such that the composition has a viscosity ranging from about 10,000 centipoise (cP) to about 80,000 cP. 
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises from about 20 wt % to about 90 wt % of the polymer network precursors, based on the total weight of the composition. 
     
     
         7 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the ionically conducting phase comprises:
 a plasticizer; and   an electrolyte salt.   
     
     
         8 . The composition of  claim 7 , wherein the ionically conducting phase further comprises a sacrificial redox agent (SRA) selected from benzyl alcohol, 4-methylbenzyl alcohol, 4-methoxybenzyl alcohol, dimethylbenzyl alcohol (3,5-dimethylbenzyl alcohol, 2,4-dimethylbenzyl alcohol), indoline, 1,2,3,4-tetrahydrocarbazole, N,N-dimethylaniline, 2,5-dihydroanisole, methylthiol alcohol, or any combinations thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The composition of  claim 7 , wherein the plasticizer comprises an ionic liquid selected from N-methyl-N-butylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (Py14TFSI), imidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([Im][TFSI]), butyltrimethylammonium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, 1-methyl-1-propylpiperidinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, 1-butyl-1-methylpiperidinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, n-ethyl-N,N-dimethyl-2-methoxyethylammonium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, 1-(3-methoxypropyl)-1-methylpiperidinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, N-(3-hydroxypropyl)pyridinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, 1-hexyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, trihexyltetradecylphosphonium tris(pentafluoroethyl)trifluorophosphate, N-methoxyethyl-N-methylmorpholinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, or any combinations thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The composition of  claim 9 , wherein the plasticizer further comprises a solvent selected from tetraglyme, propylene carbonate, sulfolane or any combinations thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The composition of  claim 7 , wherein the electrolyte salt comprises a lithium salt selected from lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI), lithium tetrafluoroborate (LiBF 4 ), lithium bis(oxalate)borate (LiBOB), lithium hexafluorophosphate (LiPF 6 ), lithium difluorooxalatoborate (LiDFOB), or any combinations thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the initiator comprises 2,2-Dimethoxy-2-phenylacetophenone, phenylphosphineoxide, benzoyl peroxide, or any combinations thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the composition further comprises from about 0.1 wt % to about 3 wt % of a metal oxide powder thickener, based on the total weight of the composition. 
     
     
         14 . An electrochromic (EC) device comprising:
 opposing first and second transparent substrates;   opposing first and second electrodes disposed between the first and second substrates; and   a gel electrolyte disposed between the first and second electrodes, the gel electrolyte comprising:
 a polymer network comprising crosslinked polyurethane acrylate oligomers; and 
 an ionically conducting phase disposed in the polymer network. 
   
     
     
         15 . The EC device of  claim 14 , wherein the polymer network further comprises crosslinked adhesion promoting monomers selected from isobornyl acrylate (IBOA), ethoxylated nonylphenol acrylate, poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA), polyethylene glycol dimethacrylate (PEGDMA), trimethylolpropane triacrylate (TMPTA), ethoxyethoxyethyl acrylate, tripropylene glycol diacrylate (TPGDA), butyl acrylate (BA), hexanediol diacrylate (HDDA), or any combinations thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The EC device of  claim 15 , wherein the adhesion promoting monomers comprise IBOA.