TW201812099A - Electrochromic device and manufacturing method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention discloses an electrochromic device and manufacturing method thereof. The electrochromic device manufacturing method includes steps of: (a) using magnetron plasma deposition technology to deposit a first transparent conductive layer and a first electrochromic material layer on a substrate; (b) using arc plasma deposition technology to rapidly deposit an ion-conducting layer having high ion-conductivity on the first electrochromic material layer; (c) passing an ion through the ion-conducting layer and then injecting the ion into the first electrochromic material layer to open an ion channel of the ion-conducting layer and activate the first electrochromic material layer; (d) using magnetron plasma deposition technology to deposit a second electrochromic material layer and a second transparent conductive layer on the ion-conducting layer to form a laminated structure of the electrochromic device.

Description

 Electrochromic element and method of manufacturing same  

The present invention relates to electrochromism, and more particularly to an electrochromic element and a method of manufacturing the same.

In recent years, as the global greenhouse effect has become more and more serious, countries around the world have begun to actively study how to make better use of solar energy and reduce the thermal effects of sunlight to achieve energy-saving effects.

In modern architecture, glazing is used in a wide variety of buildings and vehicles. However, the high heat generated by the glazing makes it impossible to achieve energy savings. Therefore, there are many kinds of heat-insulating and energy-saving devices on the market to replace the glass windows. The smart window can actively adjust the transmittance of visible light and radiant heat according to the needs of the indoor users in lighting and temperature. The user's required level of comfort, so it has great market potential in the future development of energy-efficient buildings.

According to the statistics of the internationally renowned research and development company nanomarket in 2013, the global wisdom window market estimates that there will be an economic scale of 5.6 billion US dollars by 2020, and its development potential is evident.

Among the different color-changing technologies used in various smart window devices, the following three types are commonly used: suspended particle device technology, polymer dispersed liquid crystal technology, and electrochromic technology. Among them, since the energy consumption of the electrochromic element is much lower than that of the other two technologies, the electrochromic element is most suitable for the needs of energy-saving buildings.

In addition, electrochromic components may have other new applications in the future, such as energy-saving electronic tags and display applications, power display batteries for indoor small-scale energy storage applications, and applications for thin and light smart devices. Camera aperture and other related applications.

However, there are still some difficulties in the fabrication of electrochromic components, which need to be overcome. For example, electrochromic elements require a series of vacuum film processes in their fabrication, which results in relatively high production costs, which is one of the main reasons why they are still not widely used in general home or commercial buildings.

In view of the above, the present invention provides an electrochromic element and a method of manufacturing the same, which are used to fabricate an electrochromic element by a combination of magnetron and arc plasma plating techniques. Since the magnetron plasma coating technology can deposit high-quality electrochromic layers, and the arc plasma rapid deposition coating technology can deposit ion conductive layers with high ion conductivity, it can effectively reduce the overall production of electrochromic components. Cost and increase the speed of color change, so as to effectively solve the above problems encountered in the prior art.

A method of fabricating an electrochromic element in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the electrochromic element manufacturing method is used to fabricate an electrochromic element. The electrochromic element manufacturing method comprises the following steps: (a) depositing a first transparent conductive layer and a first electrochromic material layer on a substrate by a magnetron plasma plating technique; (b) using an arc plasma coating technology High-speed deposition of one ion conductive layer having high ion conductivity on the first electrochromic material layer; (c) injecting a plurality of ions into the first electrochromic material layer through the ion conductive layer, thereby opening the ion conductive layer The ion channel activates the first electrochromic material layer; (d) depositing a second electrochromic material layer and a second transparent conductive layer on the ion conducting layer by magnetron plasma plating to complete electrochromism The laminated structure of the components.

In one embodiment, the first electrochromic material layer and the second electrochromic material layer are composed of a metal oxide.

In one embodiment, the metal oxide is nickel oxide (NiO), tungsten oxide (WO ₃ ), titanium oxide (TiO ₂ ), or vanadium oxide (V ₂ O ₅ ).

In an embodiment, the first transparent conductive layer and the second transparent conductive layer are made of a transparent conductive material.

In one embodiment, the transparent conductive material is indium tin oxide (ITO), conductive glass (FTO), or aluminum zinc oxide (AZO).

In one embodiment, the ion conducting layer is comprised of a metal oxide having high ionic conductivity.

In one embodiment, the metal oxide is tantalum oxide (Ta ₂ O ₅ ).

In one embodiment, the substrate is constructed of glass or plastic.

In an embodiment, in the steps (a) and (d), the electrochromic element manufacturing method may first deposit the second transparent conductive layer and the second electrochromic material by a magnetron plasma plating technique. The layer is deposited on the substrate, and the first electrochromic material layer and the first transparent conductive layer are deposited on the ion conductive layer by a magnetron plasma plating technique.

In one embodiment, the plurality of ions are hydrogen ions (H ⁺ ) or lithium ions (LI ⁺ ).

Another embodiment in accordance with the invention is an electrochromic element. In this embodiment, the laminated structure of the electrochromic element comprises a substrate, a first transparent conductive layer, a first electrochromic material layer, an ion conductive layer, a second electrochromic material layer, and a first Two transparent conductive layers. The first layer of electrochromic material has a plurality of ions therein. Wherein, the first transparent conductive layer and the first electrochromic material layer are deposited on the substrate by a magnetron plasma coating technology; the ion conductive layer has high ion conductivity and is deposited at a high speed by arc plasma plating technology. On the electrochromic material layer; the second electrochromic material layer and the second transparent conductive layer are deposited on the ion conductive layer by a magnetron plasma plating technique; the plurality of ions are first injected into the first electricity through the ion conductive layer Within the layer of the color-changing material to open the ion channel of the ion-conducting layer and activate the first layer of electrochromic material.

Compared with the prior art, the electrochromic element and the manufacturing method thereof provided by the present invention have the following technical features and advantages:

(1) A high-quality electrochromic film with high flatness and good surface coverage is produced by magnetron plasma coating technology.

(2) An ion-conducting membrane having a high deposition rate and high ion conductivity is produced by arc plasma technology.

(3) With the above technical features, not only can the cost of the vacuum coating process system be effectively reduced, but also the electrochromic components of a single substrate can be easily fabricated, so that electroless color-changing components can be produced at a lower price, thereby greatly increasing the competition in the market. force.

The advantages and spirit of the present invention will be further understood from the following detailed description of the invention.

S10~S16‧‧‧Steps

2‧‧‧Electrochromic components

20‧‧‧Substrate

21‧‧‧First transparent conductive layer

22‧‧‧First electrochromic material layer

23‧‧‧Ion Conductive Layer

24‧‧‧Second electrochromic material layer

25‧‧‧Second transparent conductive layer

26‧‧‧Multiple ions

1 is a flow chart showing a method of fabricating an electrochromic element in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a cross-sectional view showing a laminated structure of an electrochromic element according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing that a plurality of ions are first implanted into the first electrochromic material layer through the ion conductive layer.

The present invention provides an electrochromic element and a method of manufacturing the same, which are used to fabricate an electrochromic element by a combination of magnetron and arc plasma coating techniques. Since the magnetron plasma coating technology can deposit high-quality electrochromic layers, and the arc plasma rapid deposition coating technology can deposit ion conductive layers with high ion conductivity, it can effectively reduce the overall production of electrochromic components. Cost and increase the speed of color change, so as to effectively solve the above problems encountered in the prior art.

A method of fabricating an electrochromic element in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the electrochromic element manufacturing method is used to fabricate an electrochromic element. Please refer to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a flow chart showing a method of manufacturing an electrochromic element according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1 , the method for manufacturing the electrochromic element of the present invention may include the following steps: Step S10: depositing a first transparent conductive layer and a first electrochromic material layer on the substrate by a magnetron plasma plating technique; Step S12 : depositing an ion conducting layer having high ion conductivity on the first electrochromic material layer at a high speed by an arc plasma plating technique; and step S14: injecting a plurality of ions through the ion conducting layer to the first one under the ion conducting layer The electrochromic material layer is opened to open the ion channel of the ion conducting layer and activate the first electrochromic material layer; Step S16: depositing the second electrochromic material layer and the second transparent conductive layer by a magnetron plasma plating technique On the ion conducting layer to complete the laminated structure of the electrochromic element.

It should be noted that the substrate may be made of glass or plastic; the first electrochromic material layer and the second electrochromic material layer may be composed of the same or different metal oxides, such as nickel oxide (NiO) and tungsten oxide ( WO ₃ ), titanium oxide (TiO ₂ ), vanadium oxide (V ₂ O ₅ ) or other metal oxide having electrochromic properties, but not limited thereto.

In addition, the first transparent conductive layer and the second transparent conductive layer may be composed of the same or different transparent conductive materials, such as indium tin oxide (ITO), conductive glass (FTO), aluminum zinc oxide (AZO) or other transparent conductive materials. However, it is not limited thereto; the ion conducting layer may be composed of a metal oxide having high ion conductivity, such as tantalum oxide (Ta ₂ O ₅ ), but is not limited thereto.

In addition, before the method performs the foregoing step S14, there is originally no ion in the first electrochromic material layer. When the method performs the foregoing step S14, a plurality of ions are first injected through the upper ion conducting layer. To the first layer of electrochromic material under the ion conducting layer, thereby opening the ion channel of the upper ion conducting layer and activating the underlying first layer of electrochromic material.

In practical applications, the plurality of ions implanted may be monovalent cations such as hydrogen ions (H ⁺ ) or lithium ions (LI ⁺ ), or other ions having the same function, and are not limited thereto.

In another embodiment, the foregoing steps S10 and S16 may also be reversed to each other. That is to say, the electrochromic element manufacturing method may first deposit a second transparent conductive layer and a second electrochromic material layer on the substrate by a magnetron plasma coating technology, and then deposit high-speed ions by arc plasma plating technology at high speed. Conducting the ion conducting layer on the second electrochromic material layer, and then injecting a plurality of ions into the second electrochromic material layer under the ion conducting layer through the ion conducting layer, thereby opening the ion conducting layer The ion channel activates the second electrochromic material layer, and finally deposits the first electrochromic material layer and the first transparent conductive layer on the ion conductive layer by a magnetron plasma plating technique to complete the lamination of the electrochromic element. structure.

It should be particularly emphasized that the steps S10 and S16 of the method use a magnetron plasma coating technology to produce a highly flat and high-quality electrochromic film, so that the surface roughness and porosity of the multilayer film stack can be effectively avoided. The risk of component failure is to greatly improve the reliability of the electrochromic component; the step S12 of the method is to use the arc plasma coating technology with low equipment construction cost to plate the ion conductive layer, and the full magnetron plasma splash used today. The plating technology can effectively increase the coating rate by more than 10 times, and can greatly increase the ion conduction speed and the component reaction time by about 6 times. Therefore, compared with the prior art, the present invention has considerable advantages in terms of low equipment construction cost, high coating rate, and high ion conduction characteristics.

Another embodiment in accordance with the invention is an electrochromic element. In this embodiment, the electrochromic element is manufactured by the method for manufacturing the electrochromic element of the foregoing embodiment, but is not limited thereto. Please refer to FIG. 2. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a laminated structure of an electrochromic element according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 2, the laminated structure of the electrochromic element 2 includes a substrate 20, a first transparent conductive layer 21, a first electrochromic material layer 22, an ion conductive layer 23, and a second electrophoresis sequentially from bottom to top. The color changing material layer 24 and the second transparent conductive layer 25. Therein, a plurality of ions 26 are implanted into the first electrochromic material layer 22.

In practical applications, the substrate 20 may be composed of glass or plastic; the first electrochromic material layer 22 and the second electrochromic material layer 24 may be composed of the same or different metal oxides, such as nickel oxide (NiO), tungsten oxide ( WO ₃ ), titanium oxide (TiO ₂ ), vanadium oxide (V ₂ O ₅ ) or other metal oxide having electrochromic properties, but not limited thereto; first transparent conductive layer 21 and second transparent conductive layer 25 may be composed of the same or different transparent conductive materials, such as indium tin oxide (ITO), conductive glass (FTO), aluminum zinc oxide (AZO) or other transparent conductive materials, but not limited thereto; the ion conductive layer 23 may have A metal oxide having a high ion conductivity, such as tantalum oxide (Ta ₂ O ₅ ), is not limited thereto.

It should be noted that the first transparent conductive layer 21 and the first electrochromic material layer 22 are deposited on the substrate 20 through a magnetron plasma plating technique; the ion conductive layer 23 has high ion conductivity and is arc plasma. The coating technique is deposited on the first electrochromic material layer 22 at a high speed; the second electrochromic material layer 24 and the second transparent conductive layer 25 are deposited on the ion conducting layer 23 by a magnetron plasma plating technique.

Referring to FIG. 3, as shown in FIG. 3, when the ion conductive layer 23 is formed over the first electrochromic material layer 22, there is no ion in the first electrochromic material layer 22, and then multiple The ions 26 are injected into the underlying first layer of electrochromic material 22 through the ion conducting layer 23 above, thereby opening the ion channel of the upper ion conducting layer 24 and activating the underlying first layer of electrochromic material 22. In practical applications, the plurality of ions 26 may be, for example, hydrogen ions (H ⁺ ), monovalent cations of lithium ions (LI ⁺ ), or other ions having the same function, but are not limited thereto.

In another embodiment, the foregoing first transparent conductive layer 21 and the first electrochromic material layer 22 and the second electrochromic material layer 24 and the second transparent conductive layer 25 may also be opposite to each other. That is, the laminated structure of the electrochromic element 2 may be the substrate 20, the second transparent conductive layer 25, the second electrochromic material layer 24, the ion conductive layer 23, and the first electro-electrode sequentially. The color changing material layer 22 and the first transparent conductive layer 21.

When the ion conducting layer 23 is formed over the second electrochromic material layer 24, there is no ions in the second electrochromic material layer 24, and then a plurality of ions 26 are first injected through the upper ion conducting layer 23 to The underlying second layer of electrochromic material 24 is opened to open the ion channel of the ion conducting layer 24 above and activate the underlying second layer of electrochromic material 24.

Compared with the prior art, the electrochromic element and the manufacturing method thereof provided by the present invention have the following technical features and advantages:

(1) A high-quality electrochromic film with high flatness and good surface coverage is produced by magnetron plasma coating technology.

(2) An ion-conducting membrane having a high deposition rate and high ion conductivity is produced by arc plasma technology.

(3) With the above technical features, not only can the cost of the vacuum coating process system be effectively reduced, but also the electrochromic components of a single substrate can be easily fabricated, so that electroless color-changing components can be produced at a lower price, thereby greatly increasing the competition in the market. force.

The features and spirits of the present invention are intended to be more apparent from the detailed description of the preferred embodiments. On the contrary, the intention is to cover various modifications and equivalents within the scope of the invention as claimed. The features and spirit of the present invention will be more apparent from the detailed description of the preferred embodiments. On the contrary, the intention is to cover various modifications and equivalents within the scope of the invention as claimed.

Claims (20)

 A method for manufacturing an electrochromic element for manufacturing an electrochromic element, the method for manufacturing the electrochromic element comprising the steps of: (a) depositing a first transparent conductive layer and a first electricity by a magnetron plasma plating technique; The layer of the color-changing material is on a substrate; (b) depositing one of the ion-conducting layers having high ion conductivity on the first electrochromic material layer by arc plasma plating technology; (c) passing the plurality of ions first The ion conducting layer is implanted into the first electrochromic material layer to open the ion channel of the ion conducting layer and activate the first electrochromic material layer; and (d) deposited by a magnetron plasma plating technique A second electrochromic material layer and a second transparent conductive layer are on the ion conducting layer to complete a laminated structure of the electrochromic element.    The method of manufacturing an electrochromic element according to claim 1, wherein the first electrochromic material layer and the second electrochromic material layer are composed of a metal oxide.   The method for producing an electrochromic element according to claim 2, wherein the metal oxide is nickel oxide (NiO), tungsten oxide (WO ₃ ), titanium oxide (TiO ₂ ) or vanadium oxide (V ₂ O _{5 ).} ).  The method of manufacturing an electrochromic element according to claim 1, wherein the first transparent conductive layer and the second transparent conductive layer are made of a transparent conductive material.    The method for producing an electrochromic element according to claim 4, wherein the transparent conductive material is indium tin oxide (ITO), conductive glass (FTO) or aluminum zinc oxide (AZO).    The method of producing an electrochromic element according to claim 1, wherein the ion conductive layer is composed of a metal oxide having high ion conductivity.   The method of producing an electrochromic element according to claim 6, wherein the metal oxide is tantalum oxide (Ta ₂ O ₅ ).  The method of manufacturing an electrochromic element according to claim 1, wherein the substrate is made of glass or plastic.    The method for manufacturing an electrochromic element according to claim 1, wherein in the steps (a) and (d), the electrochromic element manufacturing method may first deposit the first method by a magnetron plasma plating technique. The second transparent conductive layer and the second electrochromic material layer are deposited on the substrate, and the first electrochromic material layer and the first transparent conductive layer are deposited on the ion conductive layer by a magnetron plasma plating technique.   The method of producing an electrochromic element according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of ions are hydrogen ions (H ⁺ ) or lithium ions (LI ⁺ ).  An electrochromic element comprising: a laminated structure comprising: a substrate; a first transparent conductive layer; a first electrochromic material layer, wherein the first transparent conductive layer and the first electrochromic material layer Deposited on the substrate by magnetron plasma plating; an ion-conducting layer having high ion conductivity and deposited on the first electrochromic material layer by arc plasma plating technology; a second electricity a layer of a color-changing material; and a second transparent conductive layer, wherein the second layer of electrochromic material and the second layer of transparent conductive layer are deposited on the ion-conducting layer by a magnetron plasma plating technique; wherein the first The electrochromic material layer has a plurality of ions therein, and the plurality of ions are first injected into the first electrochromic material layer through the ion conducting layer to open an ion channel of the ion conducting layer and activate the first A layer of electrochromic material.    The electrochromic element according to claim 11, wherein the first electrochromic material layer and the second electrochromic material layer are composed of a metal oxide.   The electrochromic element according to claim 12, wherein the metal oxide is nickel oxide (NiO), tungsten oxide (WO ₃ ), titanium oxide (TiO ₂ ) or vanadium oxide (V ₂ O ₅ ).  The electrochromic element according to claim 11, wherein the first transparent conductive layer and the second transparent conductive layer are made of a transparent conductive material.    The electrochromic element according to claim 14, wherein the transparent conductive material is indium tin oxide (ITO), conductive glass (FTO) or aluminum zinc oxide (AZO).    The electrochromic element according to claim 11, wherein the ion conductive layer is composed of a metal oxide having high ion conductivity.   The electrochromic element according to claim 16, wherein the metal oxide is tantalum oxide (Ta ₂ O ₅ ).  The electrochromic element according to claim 11, wherein the substrate is made of glass or plastic.    The electrochromic element according to claim 11, wherein the second transparent conductive layer and the second electrochromic material layer are first deposited on the substrate by a magnetron plasma plating technique, the first The electrochromic material layer and the first transparent conductive layer are deposited on the ion conductive layer by a magnetron plasma plating technique.   The electrochromic element of claim 11, wherein the plurality of ions are hydrogen ions (H ⁺ ) or lithium ions (LI ⁺ ).