JPH01140132A - Electrochromic display element - Google Patents

Electrochromic display element

Info

Publication number
JPH01140132A
JPH01140132A JP62297576A JP29757687A JPH01140132A JP H01140132 A JPH01140132 A JP H01140132A JP 62297576 A JP62297576 A JP 62297576A JP 29757687 A JP29757687 A JP 29757687A JP H01140132 A JPH01140132 A JP H01140132A
Authority
JP
Japan
Prior art keywords
film
electrolyte
conductive film
ito
transparent conductive
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Pending
Application number
JP62297576A
Other languages
Japanese (ja)
Inventor
Ichisuke Yamanaka
山中 一助
Hiroshi Sakurai
桜井 洋
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Maxell Ltd
Original Assignee
Hitachi Maxell Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Hitachi Maxell Ltd filed Critical Hitachi Maxell Ltd
Priority to JP62297576A priority Critical patent/JPH01140132A/en
Publication of JPH01140132A publication Critical patent/JPH01140132A/en
Pending legal-status Critical Current

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  • Electrochromic Elements, Electrophoresis, Or Variable Reflection Or Absorption Elements (AREA)

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enhance the reliability of a display element by using a weakly acidic soln. having a prescribed pH value as an electrolyte. CONSTITUTION:ITO essentially consisting of indium oxide is used for a transpar ent conductive film 2 on a glass substrate 1 and the film obtd. by a electrodeposi tion from an electrodeposition liquid having pH10.0 with ITO as an anode is used for a color forming film 3. Silicon dioxide is used for a protective film 4 of the transparent conductor and an electrode consisting of a transparent conductive film 6' and active carbon fibers 6'' formed thereon is used for a counter electrode 6. A porous 'Teflon(R)' sheet packed with white powder of titanium oxide is used for a background material 9. Various neutral electrolytes 5 are injected and sealed into this cell. The dissolution of the ITO is substantial ly prevented and the exfoliation of the iridium oxide from the transparent conductive film 2 is obviated as well by adjusting the pH of this electrolyte 5 to >=2.0 and <=6.0.

Description

【発明の詳細な説明】 〔産業上の利用分野〕 本発明はイリジウム酸化物を発色材料とするエレクトロ
クロミック表示素子に係り、特に好適な電解液に関する
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Field of Application] The present invention relates to an electrochromic display element using iridium oxide as a coloring material, and particularly to a suitable electrolytic solution.

〔従来の技術〕[Conventional technology]

従来、エレクトロクロミック物質として知られるイリジ
ウム酸化物薄膜は、リアクティブスパッタ(U、S、P
  4,258,984)やイオンブレーティング(特
開昭54−31763)などの真空技術、あるいはアプ
ライド フィジックス レター、33 (1978年)
第567から第568頁(Appl、 Phys、 L
ett、 33 (1978) PP567−568)
において論じられている陽極酸化法によって形成されて
きた。また最近では陽極側に電析して形成する技術も開
発された(特願昭61−173635.同6l−301
234)。
Conventionally, iridium oxide thin films, known as electrochromic materials, have been produced using reactive sputtering (U, S, P
4,258,984) and ion brating (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 54-31763), or Applied Physics Letters, 33 (1978).
Pages 567 to 568 (Appl, Phys, L
ett, 33 (1978) PP567-568)
have been formed by the anodic oxidation method discussed in . Recently, a technique has also been developed in which the anode is formed by electrodeposition (Patent Application No. 61-173635. No. 6l-301).
234).

さらに、素子の電解液には硫酸や硝酸リチウムや水酸化
ナトリウムの水溶液が用いられ、対向電極には表示極と
同じイリジウム酸化物や活性炭素繊維が用いられてきた
Furthermore, an aqueous solution of sulfuric acid, lithium nitrate, or sodium hydroxide has been used as the electrolyte of the device, and the same iridium oxide or activated carbon fiber as the display electrode has been used for the counter electrode.

〔発明が解決しようとする問題点〕[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

しかし、上記技術は素子の電解液について未検討な部分
が多く、信頼性に問題があった。
However, in the above technology, there were many unexamined aspects regarding the electrolyte of the element, and there were problems with reliability.

本発明の目的は、適切な電解液を提供し、素子の信頼性
を高めることにある。
An object of the present invention is to provide an appropriate electrolytic solution and improve the reliability of the device.

〔問題点を解決するための手段〕[Means for solving problems]

上記目的は、電解液にpHが2.0から6.0の弱酸性
溶液を用いることによって、達成できる。
The above object can be achieved by using a weakly acidic solution having a pH of 2.0 to 6.0 as the electrolyte.

〔作用〕[Effect]

エレクトロクロミック表示素子の一例を第1図に示す、
第1図において、1は表示極側のガラス基板、2は透明
導電膜、3は発色膜、4は例えば二酸化ケイ素の蒸着膜
などで形成される透明導電体2の保護膜、5は電解液、
6は対向電極、7は対向電極側のガラス基板、8はスペ
ーサである。
An example of an electrochromic display element is shown in FIG.
In FIG. 1, 1 is a glass substrate on the display electrode side, 2 is a transparent conductive film, 3 is a coloring film, 4 is a protective film for the transparent conductor 2 formed of, for example, a vapor deposited film of silicon dioxide, and 5 is an electrolytic solution. ,
6 is a counter electrode, 7 is a glass substrate on the counter electrode side, and 8 is a spacer.

9は電解液中に挿入された背景材である。9 is a background material inserted into the electrolyte.

第1図矢印2で示した透明導電膜には酸化インジウムを
主体とし少量の酸化スズを含むいわゆるI T O(I
ndium Tin 0xide )や酸化スズを主体
とし少量の酸化アンチモンを含むネサ膜が用いられる。
The transparent conductive film indicated by arrow 2 in FIG.
ndium Tin Oxide) or a NESA film mainly composed of tin oxide and containing a small amount of antimony oxide.

ところで、エレクトロクロミック表示素子は、発・消色
時に表示面積1平方センチメートル当り100ミリアン
ペア程度の電流を流す必要がある。このため、透明導電
膜には、ネサ膜よりも抵抗を低く出来るITOの方がよ
り広く使用されてきた。
Incidentally, an electrochromic display element requires a current of approximately 100 milliamperes to flow per square centimeter of display area when producing and erasing color. For this reason, ITO, which has a lower resistance than NESA film, has been more widely used as a transparent conductive film.

しかるに、ITOは強い酸性液(pHが約2.0以下)
の下では溶解し易い。特に電圧印加時にはこの溶解反応
が促進される。この溶解は1発色膜とITOの保護膜と
の間の間隙あるいは発色膜や保護膜のピンホールを介し
て起こる。このため、発色膜と外部との導通が不能にな
ることがある。
However, ITO is a strongly acidic liquid (pH approximately 2.0 or less).
It dissolves easily under This dissolution reaction is particularly accelerated when voltage is applied. This dissolution occurs through a gap between the color-forming film and the ITO protective film or through pinholes in the color-forming film or the protective film. For this reason, conduction between the coloring film and the outside may become impossible.

他方、pHが6.0以上の中性ないしアルカリ性溶液を
電解液とする場合には、発色膜のイリジウム酸化物が発
・消色を繰り返すうちに透明導電膜から剥離するという
現象が起こる。電解液が酸性の場合にはこうした剥離は
起こらない。
On the other hand, when a neutral or alkaline solution with a pH of 6.0 or higher is used as the electrolyte, a phenomenon occurs in which the iridium oxide of the coloring film peels off from the transparent conductive film while repeating coloring and decoloring. Such peeling does not occur if the electrolyte is acidic.

電解液のpHが2.0以上6.0以下の場合には、IT
Oの溶解が起こり難く、しがもイリジウム酸化物の透明
導電膜からの剥離も起き難い。このため、素子の高信頼
化が達成できる。
If the pH of the electrolyte is 2.0 or more and 6.0 or less, IT
Dissolution of O is less likely to occur, and peeling of iridium oxide from the transparent conductive film is also less likely to occur. Therefore, high reliability of the device can be achieved.

イリジウム酸化物の着・消色反応は、ジャーナル オブ
 エレクトワケミカル ソサエティー127 (198
0)第1342から第1348頁(J、  Elect
rocheit、  Soc、  1 2 7  (1
980)pp1342−1348)において論じられて
いる。それによれば、イリジウム酸化物は電解液中では
水酸化イリジウムになっており、エレクトロクロミック
反応は、式(1)に示すアニオンメカニズムに従って起
こると考えられている。
The coloring and decoloring reactions of iridium oxide are described in Journal of Electrical Chemical Society 127 (198
0) Pages 1342 to 1348 (J, Elect
rocheit, Soc, 1 2 7 (1
980) pp 1342-1348). According to this, iridium oxide becomes iridium hydroxide in the electrolytic solution, and the electrochromic reaction is thought to occur according to the anion mechanism shown in formula (1).

式(1)の反応に従えば1着色・消色にともない発色膜
中にイオン半径の大きなOH−イオンが注入・放出され
ることになる。このため、発色膜にはストレスが誘起さ
れると考えられる。このストレスのため膜にクラックが
入ったり、透明導電膜と発色膜との間で剥離が起こった
りすると考えられる。
According to the reaction of formula (1), OH- ions with a large ionic radius are injected into and released from the coloring film as the coloring and decoloring occur. Therefore, it is thought that stress is induced in the coloring film. It is thought that this stress may cause cracks in the film or peeling between the transparent conductive film and the coloring film.

式(1)の反応は電解液の液性を問わず、酸性でもアル
カリ性でも起こると考えられている。しかし、確実な立
証は未だなされていない、酸性溶液ではプロトンが主体
となって着色・消色反応が起こる可能性がある0例えば
1式(2)に従って着色・消色が起こることも考えられ
る。
The reaction of formula (1) is thought to occur regardless of the liquid nature of the electrolyte, whether acidic or alkaline. However, reliable proof has not yet been made. In acidic solutions, there is a possibility that coloring and decoloring reactions occur mainly due to protons. For example, it is also possible that coloring and decolorization occur according to formula 1 (2).

I r(OH)n+xOHI rox(OH)yl−)
(+xH”+ze−(2)無色     ブルーブラッ
ク このメカニズムに従えば、注入・放出されるイオンがイ
オン半径の小さなプロトンであるため、誘起されるスト
レスも少なくなる可能性がある。
I r(OH)n+xOHI rox(OH)yl-)
(+xH"+ze-(2) Colorless Blue Black If this mechanism is followed, the induced stress may be reduced because the injected and ejected ions are protons with a small ionic radius.

これが実現されれば、着色・消色にともなう発色膜の基
板からの剥離を抑制できるのであろう。
If this is realized, it will be possible to suppress the peeling of the colored film from the substrate due to coloring and decoloring.

本発明は、上記の着想に基づき電解液の液性につき検討
した結果、生れたものである。pHが6以下の電解液を
用いた場合に、発色膜の透明導電・膜からの剥離を抑制
できるのは、中性ないしはアルカリ性の電解液を用いた
場合と着・消色のメカニズムが異なるためと考えられる
The present invention was created as a result of studies on the liquid properties of electrolyte solutions based on the above idea. When using an electrolytic solution with a pH of 6 or less, peeling of the colored film from the transparent conductive film can be suppressed because the mechanism of coloring and decoloring is different from when using a neutral or alkaline electrolytic solution. it is conceivable that.

〔実施例〕〔Example〕

以下1本発明の詳細を具体的実施例で示す。 The details of the present invention will be shown below using specific examples.

失胤■よ 第1図に示した素子を用い、電解液の種類を変えて素子
寿命を調べた実施例である。第1図に示した透明導電膜
2には、シート抵抗10Ω/ c m ”の酸化インジ
ウムを主成分とするITOを用いた。
This is an example in which the device shown in FIG. 1 was used and the life of the device was investigated by changing the type of electrolyte. For the transparent conductive film 2 shown in FIG. 1, ITO containing indium oxide as a main component and having a sheet resistance of 10 Ω/cm'' was used.

3の発色膜には、4 g / QのIrCl4・H20
゜5g/Q(7)(COOH)2および約25g/(1
)Na2CO3を含むpHが10.0の電析液から、I
TOを陽極として電析して得られる被膜を使用した。こ
の際、電析液の温度は10℃、電析時間は30分、電析
電流密度は160μA/am”とした。また応答特性を
良くするため、電析膜は、電析直後に100℃、lhの
熱処理を加えた。さらに、4つの透明導電体の保護膜に
は二酸化ケイ素を、6の対向電極には透明導電膜6′と
その上に形成した活性炭素繊維6′とからなる電極を、
9の背景材には、酸化チタンの白色粉末を充填した多孔
性テフロンシートを使用した。
The coloring film of No. 3 contains 4 g/Q of IrCl4.H20.
゜5g/Q(7)(COOH)2 and about 25g/(1
) From an electrolyte solution containing Na2CO3 with a pH of 10.0, I
A film obtained by electrodeposition using TO as an anode was used. At this time, the temperature of the electrodeposition solution was 10℃, the electrodeposition time was 30 minutes, and the deposition current density was 160μA/am''.In addition, in order to improve the response characteristics, the deposited film was heated to 10℃ immediately after electrodeposition. , lh heat treatment was applied.Furthermore, silicon dioxide was applied to the protective films of the four transparent conductors, and an electrode consisting of a transparent conductive film 6' and activated carbon fibers 6' formed thereon was applied to the counter electrode 6. of,
As the background material in No. 9, a porous Teflon sheet filled with white powder of titanium oxide was used.

作成したセルに種々の中性電解液を注入し、封止した。Various neutral electrolytes were injected into the created cells and sealed.

検討した電解液は、N ass 04tL 12 S 
O4y (N H4)2 S O4y N H4CQ 
e L iCQ @L i L Q 04の1M水溶液
である。作成した素子を0.6V、IHzの方形波で駆
動し、寿命を調べた結果を第2図に示す、第2図に示し
たように、    −(NH4)2SO4の場合を除き
、注入電荷qは、着色−消色のサイクルを繰り返すうち
に、著しく減少する。これに伴ない、着色したままの部
分が生じ、次第にこの部分の割合が増す、そして、つい
には全体が濃いブルーブラックに着色したままになる。
The electrolyte solution studied was N ass 04tL 12S
O4y (NH4)2 S O4y N H4CQ
It is a 1M aqueous solution of e L iCQ @L i L Q 04. The created device was driven with a square wave of 0.6 V and IHz, and the lifetime was investigated. As shown in Figure 2, except for the case of -(NH4)2SO4, the injected charge q decreases significantly as the coloring-decoloring cycle is repeated. As a result, some areas remain colored, and the proportion of these areas gradually increases, until the entire area remains colored deep blue-black.

これは、劣化が発色膜の透明導電膜からの剥離に基づく
ことを示すものである。NH4CQを用いた素子では、
比較的劣化が少ない。
This indicates that the deterioration is due to peeling of the color forming film from the transparent conductive film. In the device using NH4CQ,
Relatively little deterioration.

本実施例から明らかなように、中性の電解液を用いた素
子では、多少の差があるものの、駆動により劣化が進行
する。
As is clear from this example, in the element using a neutral electrolyte, deterioration progresses due to driving, although there are some differences.

尖胤旌主 実施例1と同様にして作成したセルに。Lord of Tetsutane In a cell created in the same manner as in Example 1.

H3PO3とNaOHとからなる種々のpHの電解液を
注入し、素子の寿命に及ぼす電解液のpHの影響を調べ
た実施例である。この際H3P Osの濃度はIMとし
、pHは1.0から8.0まで変化させた。結果を第3
図に示す0図に示したように、pHが2.0から6.0
までの電解液を用いたセルでは劣化し難い。とりわけ、
pHが3.0から5.0の電解液を用いた場合には、3
 X 106サイクルの繰り返しののちにも劣化はほと
んど認められなかった。
This is an example in which the influence of the pH of the electrolytic solution on the life of the element was investigated by injecting electrolytic solutions of various pHs consisting of H3PO3 and NaOH. At this time, the concentration of H3P Os was set to IM, and the pH was varied from 1.0 to 8.0. 3rd result
As shown in the figure, the pH ranges from 2.0 to 6.0.
Cells using electrolytes up to 100% are unlikely to deteriorate. Above all,
When using an electrolyte with a pH of 3.0 to 5.0, 3.
Almost no deterioration was observed even after X 106 cycles.

〔発明の効果〕〔Effect of the invention〕

以上の実施例から明らかなように、本発明によれば、酸
化イリジウムを発色材料とするエレクトロクロミック表
示素子における素子の劣化を低減できる。
As is clear from the above examples, according to the present invention, deterioration of an electrochromic display element using iridium oxide as a coloring material can be reduced.

【図面の簡単な説明】[Brief explanation of the drawing]

第1図は本発明の実施例のエレクトロクロミック表示素
子の断面図、第2図および第3図は1本発明の効果を示
す補足図特性である。
FIG. 1 is a sectional view of an electrochromic display element according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 2 and 3 are supplementary diagrams showing characteristics of the effects of the present invention.

Claims (1)

【特許請求の範囲】 1、酸化イリジウム発色材料、電解液および対向電極材
料からなるエレクトロクロミック表示素子において電解
液のpHを2.0以上6.0以下としたことを特徴とす
るエレクトロクロミック表示素子。 2、電解液がリン酸系緩衝液からなることを特徴とする
特許請求の範囲第1項記載のエレクトロクロミック表示
素子。
[Claims] 1. An electrochromic display element comprising an iridium oxide coloring material, an electrolyte, and a counter electrode material, characterized in that the electrolyte has a pH of 2.0 or more and 6.0 or less. . 2. The electrochromic display element according to claim 1, wherein the electrolyte comprises a phosphate buffer.
JP62297576A 1987-11-27 1987-11-27 Electrochromic display element Pending JPH01140132A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP62297576A JPH01140132A (en) 1987-11-27 1987-11-27 Electrochromic display element

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP62297576A JPH01140132A (en) 1987-11-27 1987-11-27 Electrochromic display element

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
JPH01140132A true JPH01140132A (en) 1989-06-01

Family

ID=17848342

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
JP62297576A Pending JPH01140132A (en) 1987-11-27 1987-11-27 Electrochromic display element

Country Status (1)

Country Link
JP (1) JPH01140132A (en)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6879424B2 (en) 2001-03-19 2005-04-12 Aveso, Inc. Electrochromic display device and compositions useful in making such devices

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6879424B2 (en) 2001-03-19 2005-04-12 Aveso, Inc. Electrochromic display device and compositions useful in making such devices

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