Single-compartment, self-erasing, solution-phase electrochromic devices, solutions of electrochromic compounds for use as media of variable transmittance in such devices, and electrochromic compounds for such solutions are provided. The devices of the invention are surprisingly stable to cycling between light and dark states, have continuously variable transmittance to light as a function of electrical potential applied across the solution in a device, and have transmittance that can be varied over more than a factor of 10, from clear to dark or from dark to clear, in several seconds. Thus, the devices are especially suitable as variable transmittance components of variable transmission light filters, including windows, and variable reflectance mirrors, including anti-glare rearview mirrors in automobiles. Also provided are improved variable reflectance mirrors, wherein transmittance of reflected light is varied by thermochromic, photochromic or electro-optic means and wherein the reduction in transmittance which is required to eliminate perceptible reflection of an object to the eyes of an observer is reduced by disposing the plane of the highly reflective surface of the mirror at an angle with respect to the plane of the surface through which light from the object enters the mirror.

Single-compartment, self-erasing, solution-phase electrochromic devices, solutions for use therein, and uses thereof

The specification discloses a method for reducing current leakage and enhancing UV stability by using electrochemichromic solutions whose solvents include, either solely or in combination with other solvents, glutaronitrile (GNT).

Method for reducing current leakage and enhancing uv stability in electrochemichromic solutions and devices

The specification discloses electrochemichromic solutions and devices based on the use of from about 5% by volume of a nonpolymeric material having a high volume resistivity and high dielectric constant to reduce leakage current without unduly increasing solution viscosity. In an alternative aspect, high quantities of such materials are used even though solution viscosity increases to the point of preventing room temperature vacuum backfilling in order to take advantage of other features of such solutions.

Method of reducing leakage current in electrochemichromic solutions and solutions based thereon

A system of rigid, inpenetrable, rodlike molecules subject to orientation-dependent mutual attractions is treated by extension of the theory presented in the preceding paper. This energy is formulated, for a system at constant volume, by considering interactions between pairs of segments in contact, rather than in terms of interactions between entire molecules. The orientation-dependent energy between a pair of segments is taken to be proportional to cos2 Ψij, where Ψij is the angle between the principal axes of their polarizability tensors, assumed to be cylindrically symmetric with respect to the molecular axis. A characteristic temperature T∗ measures the intensity of these interactions. The orientational energy of the system as a whole is of the form derived by Maier and Saupe. The orientation distribution with respect to the domain axis and the partition function are formulated with T∗ and the axial ratio x as parameters, Steric effects of molecular shape asymmetry, embodied in x, are of for...

Theory of Systems of RodIike Particles: II. Thermotropic systems with orientation-dependent interactions

Liquid crystals, compounds and mixtures with positive dielectric anisotropies are reviewed. The mesogenic properties and physical chemical properties (viscosity, birefringence, refractive indices, dielectric anisotropy and elastic constants) of compounds being cyano, fluoro, isothiocyanato derivatives of biphenyl, terphenyl, quaterphenyl, tolane, phenyl tolane, phenyl ethynyl tolane, and biphenyl tolane are compared. The question of how to obtain liquid crystal with a broad range of nematic phases is discussed in detail. Influence of lateral substituent of different kinds of mesogenic and physicochemical properties is presented (demonstrated). Examples of mixtures with birefringence ∆n in the range of 0.2–0.5 are given.

High Birefringence Liquid Crystals

A new liquid crystalline structural class has been observed. The synthesis and mesomorphic properties of the novel diacetylenic liquid crystals, 4,4′-di-n-alkyldiphenyldiacetylenes and 4,4′-di-n-alkoxydiphenyldiacetylenes are described. In addition, an improved synthesis of the key intermediate, 4,4′-dihydroxydiphenyldiacetylene, has been developed.

Diacetylenic Liquid Crystals: Synthesis and Preliminary Characterization of 4,4′-Dialkyl and 4,4′-Dialkoxy Derivatives of Diphenyldiacetylene

A medium for electrochromic recording is provided by treating paper with a water soluble leuco methylene blue compound having the formula ##STR1## wherein R is a sulfonated aromatic or sulfonated aliphatic moiety.

Electrochromic recording paper

The design, synthesis, and evaluation of a new resist formulation tailored for use in the deep UV (254 nm) is described. The resist is based on use of 2,2-dimethyl-4,6-dioxo-5-diazo-1,3-dioxolane (5- diazo-Meldrum's acid) and derivatives thereof as a sensitizer for cresol formaldehyde novolac resin. The new class of sensitizers provides an intense bleachable absorbance at 254 nm and couples sensitivity with plasma etch resistance. The resist exhibits remarkable dissolution kinetics which provide for high resolution imaging devoid of standing wave phenomena. A series of experiments designed to provide understanding of the dissolution kinetics are described.

Deep UV photoresists I. Meldrum's diazo sensitizer

The synthesis and mesomorphic properties of several new series of liquid crystalline materials are described. These include two novel diacetylenic structures, 4,4′-di-n-acyloxydiphenyldi-acetylene and the unsymmetrical 4-n-alkoxy, 4′-cyanodiphenyldiacetylene, and the analogous 4-n-alkoxy,4′-cyanotolanes and stilbenes. A discussion of the effect of structure on transition temperatures is included.

Novel Liquid Crystalline Materials: Synthesis and preliminary characterization of new 4,4′-disubstituted diphenyldiacetylene, tolane and stilbene derivatives

Phenolic-aldehyde resins sensitized with Meldrum's diazo or a homologue thereof are useful as lithographic resists sensitive to deep ultra-violet light.

Barbara Dianne Grant

Papers

Diacetylenic Liquid Crystals: Synthesis and Preliminary Characterization of 4,4′-Dialkyl and 4,4′-Dialkoxy Derivatives of Diphenyldiacetylene

Electrochromic recording paper

Deep UV photoresists I. Meldrum's diazo sensitizer

Novel Liquid Crystalline Materials: Synthesis and preliminary characterization of new 4,4′-disubstituted diphenyldiacetylene, tolane and stilbene derivatives

Ultra-violet lithographic resist composition and process