Patent ID: 11966139
Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
Field: Optics (Instruments)
Classification: CPC G | IPC G

Claim 0:
1. An electrochromic element comprising:
a first electrode;
a second electrode apart from and opposite to the first electrode;
an electrolyte layer between the first electrode and the second electrode, the electrolyte layer containing an oxidizable substance or a reducible substance, or both;
an oxidizable electrochromic layer between the first electrode and the electrolyte layer, the oxidizable electrochromic layer containing an oxidizable electrochromic compound; and
a reducible electrochromic layer between the second electrode and the electrolyte layer, the reducible electrochromic layer containing a reducible electrochromic compound,

wherein an oxidation potential of the oxidizable substance is nobler than an oxidation potential of the oxidizable electrochromic compound,
a reduction potential of the reducible substance is baser than a reduction potential of the reducible electrochromic compound,
an oxidation reaction of the oxidizable substance is irreversible,
a reduction reaction of the reducible substance is irreversible,
the electrolyte layer is formed between the oxidizable electrochromic layer and the reducible electrochromic layer,
the oxidizable substance is at least one selected from the group consisting of phenols, alkoxy benzenes, cyano benzenes, phosphites, phosphates, and annulenes, and
the reducible substance is at least one selected from the group consisting of acid anhydrides, aromatic ketones, and unsaturated fatty acid esters.