SBIR Phase I: Electrochromic Nano-Pigment Dispersion

该小型企业创新研究第1阶段项目将确定稳定油墨中纳米颜料分散体的可行性，以促进电致变色油墨的生产规模扩大。 这家小型企业此前已开发出基于电致变色纳米颜料和兼容离子导电粘合剂的专利油墨，这些油墨被设计用于涂覆传统的制造设备，以生产柔性电致变色设备，例如在施加1.5V电位时从黑暗可逆地变为透明的窗膜。 虽然功能性电致变色膜已在实验室中生产，但随着时间的推移，油墨中纳米颜料的团聚使规模化商业制造的尝试受挫。 将在这些油墨中评估各种添加剂，以产生适合于制造试验的电致变色油墨制剂。该项目还将探索离子与埋在聚合物复合材料中的纳米颗粒表面的相互作用。 该项目的技术见解也可能适用于由离子吸收/解吸驱动的其他技术。该项目的更广泛/商业影响源于一种新材料的发明，该材料能够生产轻质，柔性电致变色器件。潜在的应用包括建筑电致变色窗膜和汽车电致变色窗膜。 市场对这些薄膜的广泛接受将大大有助于节能。

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase 1 project will establish the feasibility of stabilizing nano-pigment dispersions in inks to facilitate manufacturing scale-up of electrochromic inks. The small business has previously developed patented inks based on electrochromic nano-pigments and a compatible ion-conductive adhesive, which are designed to be coated with conventional manufacturing equipment to produce flexible electrochromic devices, such as window films that change reversibly from dark to clear upon the application of 1.5V potential. While functional electrochromic films have been produced in the laboratory, attempts to scale to commercial manufacturing have been frustrated by agglomeration of nano-pigments in the inks over time. Various additives will be evaluated in these inks, to result in an electrochromic ink formulation suitable for manufacturing trials. This project will also explore ionic interactions with the surface of nano-particles buried within a polymer composite. The technical insights from this project may also have applicability in other technologies driven by ionic absorption / desorption.The broader/commercial impact of this project springs from the invention of a new material that enables the production of light-weight, flexible electrochromic devices. Potential applications include architectural electrochromic window film and automotive electrochromic window film. Broad market acceptance of these films would contribute significantly to energy savings.