Abstract: A copper containing component and a manganese containing component are applied onto the surface of a substrate to form a coating having a selected ratio of copper to manganese to form a desired color. For a brown color, the film molar ratio of copper to manganese is above 1; for an amber color, the molar ratio is below 1, and for a blue color the film molar ratio is about 1. Further, color shifting of a multi-component coating upon subsequent heat treatment is minimized or prevented by determining the most mobile species in the coating and then placing a concentration gradient layer of an oxide of that mobile species between the substrate and the coating.

Abstract: A copper containing component and a manganese containing component are applied onto the surface of a substrate to form a coating having a selected ratio of copper to manganese to form a desired color. For a brown color, the film molar ratio of copper to manganese is above 1; for an amber color, the molar ratio is below 1, and for a blue color the film molar ratio is about 1. Further, color shifting of a multi-component coating upon subsequent heat treatment is minimized or prevented by determining the most mobile species in the coating and then placing a concentration gradient layer of an oxide of that mobile species between the substrate and the coating. Upon subsequent heat treatment, the mobile species in the gradient layer diffuses into the substrate more readily than the mobile species in the coating which minimizes depletion of the mobile species from the coating and helps prevent bleaching. Still further, coating films of different selected colors are made by selecting different metal oxide systems.

Abstract: A method for fabricating an electrochromic device having organic polymer substrates is described. Each substrate has a surface coated with an organic polymer primer coating onto which is deposited an electroconductive metal oxide film. An electrochromic material is deposited on one electroconductive film and a complementary electrochromic material is deposited on the other electroconductive film. The resultant two substrates are aligned with the electrochromic materials facing one another. A preformed sheet of an ion-conducting polymer is disposed between those electrochromic layers and the resulting sandwich autoclaved.

Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide novel primer compositions for use in bonding a thermoset polyurethane film to the surface of a polymeric substrate. The novel primer composition of the invention is an elastomeric polymer, particularly polyvinylpyrrolidinone, or a copolymer comprising vinylpyrrolidinone and alkyl acrylate or alkyl methacrylate. The construction of the article of the present invention comprises a transparent polymeric substrate, such as stretched acrylic, a primer layer of polyvinylpyrrolidinone or copolymer of vinylpyrrolidinone and alkyl acrylate or alkyl methacrylate on a surface thereof, and a film of thermoset polyurethane on the primer layer. The polyurethane is preferably a reaction product of isocyanate and a polyol such as polycaprolactone polyol, hexanediol carbonate polyol, cyclohexanedimethanol carbonate polyol, phthalate ester polyol, and hexanediol/cyclohexanedimethanol carbonate polyol.

Abstract: Novel acrylic acid copolymer primer compositions are disclosed for bonding electroconductive metal oxide films to plastic substrates for electrochromic articles.