Electrochromic display device

Abstract

An electrochromic display device containing at least two electrodes and electrolyte in contact therewith is disclosed, wherein the electrolyte is an electrolytic solution which has been gelated by polymer.

What I claim is: 
     
       1. An electrochromic .[.display.]. .Iadd.optical .Iaddend.device comprising: at least two electrodes at least one of which is comprised of electrochromic material, and an electrolyte gel in contact with said electrodes and comprising an electrolytic solution absorbed and thereby gelated by a copolymer formed of a first monomer which when polymerized forms polymer soluble in the solvent of said electrolytic solution and a second monomer which when polymerized forms polymer insoluble in the solvent of said electrolytic solution in a proportion such that said copolymer is capable of absorbing an amount of said electrolytic solution sufficient to form a gel which is effective as an electrolyte. 
     
     
       2. The electrochromic .[.display.]. .Iadd.optical .Iaddend.device as claimed in the claim 1, in which the electrochromic material is tungsten oxide or molybdenum oxide. 
     
     
       3. The electrochromic .[.display.]. .Iadd.optical .Iaddend.device as claimed in claim 1 in which the copolymer is comprised of vinyl acetate and ethylene wherein the vinyl acetate is present in a molar ratio of 70%-80%. 
     
     
       4. The electrochromic .[.display.]. .Iadd.optical .Iaddend.device as claimed in the claim 1, in which the solvent of the electrolyte solution is propylene carbonate, and the first monomer is selected from a member of the group consisting of vinyl acetate, methyl methacrylate, methyl acrylate, vinylpyridine and vinylpyrrolidone. 
     
     
       5. The electrochromic .[.display.]. .Iadd.optical .Iaddend.device as claimed in claim 1, in which said second monomer is selected from a member of the group consisting of styrene, vinyl chloride, ethylene, propylene and vinyl carbazole. 
     
     
       6. The electrochromic .[.display.]. .Iadd.optical .Iaddend.device as claimed in claim 1, in which said copolymer is comprised of vinyl acetate and ethylene. 
     
     
       7. The electrochomic .[.display.]. .Iadd.optical .Iaddend.device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the electrolytic solution absorbed by the copolymer is the primary current carrier. 
     
     
       8. An electrochromic .[.display.]. .Iadd.optical .Iaddend.device comprising: at least two electrodes at least one of which is comprised of electrochromic material, and an electrolytic gel in contact with said electrodes and comprising an electrolytic solution absorbed and thereby gelated by a cross-linked polymer which when uncross-linked is soluble in the solvent of said electrolytic solution, and which is cross-linked to an extent which allows the polymer to absorb said electrolytic solution in an amount sufficient to form a gel effective as an electrolyte. 
     
     
       9. The electrochromic .[.display.]. .Iadd.optical .Iaddend.device as claimed in the claim 8, in which the polymer is cross-linked by divinylbenzene. 
     
     
       10. The electrochromic .[.display.]. .Iadd.optical .Iaddend.device as claimed in 8, in which the electrolytic solution is an aqueous solution and the polymer is polyvinyl alcohol cross-linked by a dicarboxylic acid or its anhydride. 
     
     
       11. The electrochromic .[.display.]. .Iadd.optical .Iaddend.device as claimed in the claim 10, in which the cross-linking agent is pyromellitic dianhydride, maleic acid, adipic acid or maleic dianhydride. 
     
     
       12. The electrochromic .[.display.]. .Iadd.optical .Iaddend.device as claimed in the claim 11, in which the pyromellitic dianhydride/polyvinyl alcohol weight ratio is more than 0.02. 
     
     
       13. The electrochromic .[.display.]. .Iadd.optical .Iaddend.device as claimed in claim 8, in which the electrolyte gel is gelated by the polymerization of monomer in a solvent, wherein the resultant polymer is soluble in said solvent and said solvent is used for the electrolytic solution, and in which the polymer is cross-linked by means of a divinyl compound. 
     
     
       14. The electrochromic .[.display.]. .Iadd.optical .Iaddend.device which is claimed in claim 13, in which the electrolytic solution is an aqueous solution, the monomer is acrylamide and the divinyl compound is methylenebisacrylamide. 
     
     
       15. The electrochromic .[.display.]. .Iadd.optical .Iaddend.device as claimed in claim 13, in which the solvent of the electrolytic solution is propylene carbonate, the monomer is methyl acrylate, and the divinyl compound is divinylbenzene. 
     
     
       16. The electrochromic .[.display.]. .Iadd.optical .Iaddend.device as claimed in claim 13, in which the solvent of the electrolytic solution is acetonitrile, the monomer is vinyl acetate, and the divinyl compound is divinyl adipate. 
     
     
       17. The electrochromic .[.display.]. .Iadd.optical .Iaddend.device as claimed in the claim 8, in which the electrochromic material is tungsten oxide or molybdenum oxide. 
     
     
       18. The electrochromic .[.display.]. .Iadd.optical .Iaddend.device as claimed in claim 8 in which said polymer is polyacrylamide which has been cross-linked by means of methylenebisacrylamide. 
     
     
       19. The electrochromic .[.display.]. .Iadd.optical .Iaddend.device as claimed in claim 8 wherein the electrolytic solution absorbed by the polymer is the primary current carrier. 
     
     
       20. An electrolyte gel useful for an electrochromic .[.display.]. .Iadd.optical .Iaddend.device comprising an electrolytic solution absorbed and gelated by a copolymer formed of a first monomer which when polymerized forms polymer soluble in the solvent of said electrolytic solution and a second monomer which when polymerized forms polymer insoluble in the solvent of said electrolytic solution in a proportion such that said copolymer is capable of absorbing an amount of said electrolytic solution sufficient to form a gel which is effective as an electrolyte. 
     
     
       21. The electrolyte gel as claimed in claim 20 in which the first monomer is selected from a member of the group consisting of vinyl acetate, methyl methacrylate, methyl acrylate, vinylpyridine and vinylpyrrolidone and in which said second monomer is selected from a member of the group consisting of styrene, vinyl chloride, ethylene, propylene and vinyl carbazole. 
     
     
       22. The electrolyte gel as claimed in claim 20 in which said copolymer is comprised of vinyl acetate and ethylene. 
     
     
       23. An electrolyte gel useful for an electrochromic .[.display.]. .Iadd.optical .Iaddend.device comprising an electrolytic solution absorbed and gelated by a cross-linked polymer which when uncross-linked is soluble in the solvent of said electrolytic solution and which is cross-linked to an extent which allows the polymer to absorb said electrolytic solution in an amount sufficient to form a gel effective as an electrolyte. 
     
     
       24. The electrolyte gel as claimed in claim 23 in which the electrolyte is gelated by the polymerization of monomer in a solvent, wherein the resultant polymer is soluble in said solvent and said solvent is used for the electrolytic solution, and in which the polymer is cross-linked by means of a divinyl compound. 
     
     
       25. The electrolyte gel as claimed in claim 24 in which the monomer is acrylamide and the divinyl compound is methylenebisacrylamide.