National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology

Agency of Industrial Science and Technology

Nissan Motor Company Limited

Kabushiki Kaisha Atsumitec

Sumitomo Chemical Company, Limited

Kazuki Yoshimura

Naoki Uchiyama

Kenji Kato

Jun Okada

Kinya Kumazawa

Yoshinobu Nozue

Yasusei Yamada

Kazuki Tajima

Takayuki Mino

Shanhu Bao

Sakae Tanemura

Yutaka Tai

Junichi Murakami

Kazuo Igarashi

Masahiro Goto

Hidetoshi Ueno

Hirosumi Ogawa

Michiru Sakamoto

Naoki Matsuda

Masahisa Okada

Yasusel Yamada

Katsumi Akada

In one aspect of the present invention, a hydrogen occlusion body includes: a hydrogen occlusion layer containing a material whose optical property reversibly changes upon hydrogenation and dehydrogenation; and a catalyst layer containing a palladium-ruthenium alloy.

Hydrogen occlusion body, gasochromic light control element, hydrogen sensing element, and hydrogen sensor

In an aspect of the present invention, a gasochromic dimming mechanism is provided which includes a gasochromic dimming component provided with a pair of transparent substrates, the transparent substrates being arranged to face each other, and a dimming part formed on one or both facing surfaces of the pair of the transparent substrates, wherein an optical property of the dimming part is reversibly changed by hydrogenation and dehydrogenation; and a hydrogen-air mixture gas supply unit that supplies a hydrogen-air mixture gas between the pair of the transparent substrates. The hydrogen-air mixture gas supply unit includes an electrolysis cell including a mixer for mixing hydrogen and air, a polymer electrolyte membrane, a porous electrode formed in the polymer electrolyte membrane as an anode, and an air supply unit that supplies the air to the mixer, the porous electrode being arranged on a flow channel of the air.

Gasochromic dimming mechanism

A reflection-type light control element according to the present invention is provided with a light control layer configured to exhibit a reversible change between a transparent state and a reflection state in a reversible reaction with a hydrogen and a catalyst layer configured to accelerate the reversible reaction of the light control layer, wherein the reflection-type light control element is such that the light control layer includes an alloy that contains at least one kind of element selected from a group composed of group 2 elements and at least two kinds of elements selected from a group composed of group 3 elements and rare earth elements, or a hydride of the alloy.

Reflection-type light control element, reflection-type light control member, and multilayer glass

A reflection-type optical control element has an optical control layer whose state is reversibly changed between a transparent state caused by hydrogenation and a reflective state caused by dehydrogenation, a catalyst layer that accelerates the hydrogenation and the dehydrogenation in the optical control layer, and an oxidation inhibition member that is arranged between the optical control layer and the catalyst layer and inhibits oxidation of the optical control layer that is caused by oxygen that permeates through the catalyst layer.

Reflection-type optical control element

A gasochromic system includes a first transparent part that includes a first surface; a second transparent part that includes a second surface and is disposed such that the second surface faces the first surface of the first transparent part; a light control part that is formed on the first surface and includes a light control element whose optical characteristic is reversibly changed by hydrogenation and dehydrogenation; a hydrogen supplier that supplies a hydrogen-containing gas into a gap between the first and second transparent parts; and a dehydrogenator that removes hydrogen from the gap between the first and second transparent parts. The first and second transparent parts are stacked via the light control part, and the second surface and a surface of the light control part facing the second surface are partially in contact with each other.

Gasochromic system

An all-solid-state reflective dimming electrochromic element having a multilayer film formed on a transparent substrate, which is characterized in that the multilayer film has a multilayer structure comprising at least a transparent conductive film layer, an ion storage layer, a solid electrolyte layer, a buffer layer, a catalyst layer, a reflective dimming layer, and a protective layer formed on the transparent substrate, and which is sealed with the protective layer, and a dimming member comprising the same are provided.

All-solid-state reflective dimming electrochromic element sealed with protective layer, and dimming member comprising the same

The present invention provides an all-solid-state type reflection light controllable electrochromic device having a buffer layer, and the constitution thereof comprises an all-solid-state reflective dimming electrochromic device in which a transparent conductive film layer, an ion storage layer, a solid electrolyte layer, a buffer layer, catalyst layer, and a reflective light controllable layer of a magnesium alloy thin film, in particular a multilayer thin film that uses a magnesium-nickel alloy, magnesium-titanium alloy or magnesium-niobium alloy, are formed on a transparent base that uses a glass or resin sheet, and a method for manufacturing the device, and an optical switchable component that incorporates the reflective light controllable electrochromic device, and according to the present invention, a reflective light controllable electrochromic device having a novel multilayer structure can be provided that enables high transmittance when it is transparent and enables switching in a short time over a wide area.

All-solid-state reflective dimming electrochromic device having buffer layer and dimmer member using the same

The present invention provides an all solid state type reflection light control electrochromic element and a light control member that uses this element, relates to an all solid state type reflection light control electrochromic element, which is a magnesium/titanium alloy reflection type light control element in which a multilayer thin film is formed on a transparent substrate, wherein at least a transparent conductive film layer, an ion storage layer, a solid electrolyte layer, a catalyst layer, and a reflection light control layer employing a magnesium/titanium alloy thin film are formed on the substrate; and a light control member which is incorporated with this reflection light control electrochromic element, and the present invention allows a reflection light control electrochromic element, which has a novel multilayer structure that is colorless when transparent and can be switched in a short time over a wide area, as well as a light control member incorporated with this element to be provided.

All solid state type reflection light control electrochromic element employing magnesium/titanium alloy and light control member

A switchable mirror element includes a switchable layer having a chromic property enabling the switchable layer to be reversibly changed from a transparent state by hydrogenation and a mirror state by dehydrogenation, and a catalytic layer disposed on the switchable layer and configured to promote hydrogenation or dehydrogenation in the switchable layer. The switchable layer includes an alloy of one or more metals from calcium, strontium, and barium, and magnesium.

Switchable mirror element, and switchable mirror component and insulating glass each incorporating the switchable mirror element

A hydrogen sensor includes a thin film layer formed on a top surface of a planar optical transmission medium, and a catalyst layer formed on a top surface of the thin film layer. A first interface is created between the planar optical transmission medium and the thin film layer. A substrate is joined to a bottom surface of the planar optical transmission medium so that a second interface is created between the planar optical transmission medium and the substrate. On entering a first end portion of the planer optical transmission medium, light from a light source is spread by an entrance section, and the spread light is transmitted inside the planar optical transmission medium to a second end portion by being reflected by the first and second interfaces alternately. Light exiting from the second end portion is transmitted to an optical sensor by an exit light-collecting section. If the thin film layer is hydrogenated by the catalyst layer contacted by hydrogen, the amount of light reflected from the first interface reduces. Hydrogen gas is detected by the optical sensor detecting such reduction in the amount of light.

Hydrogen sensor and hydrogen gas detecting apparatus

The present invention provides an all-solid-state reflection-controllable electrochromic device and a reflection-controllable member using that device, and the present invention relates to the all-solid-state reflection-controllable electrochromic device, which is a reflection-controllable device in which a multilayer thin film is formed on a transparent base material, wherein, at least a transparent conductive film layer, an ion storage layer, a solid electrolyte layer, a catalyst layer and a reflection-controllable layer using a magnesium-nickel based alloy thin film are formed on the base material; and, a reflection-controllable member incorporating this reflection-controllable electrochromic device, and it is possible to provide a reflection-controllable electrochromic device, having a novel multilayer structure with high transmissivity when transparent and capable of switching in a short period of time over a large surface area, and a reflection-controllable member incorporating this device.

All-solid-state reflection-controllable electrochromic device and optical switchable component using it

The present invention provides a reflective control switchable thin film material that can become completely colorless when transparent, and the present invention relates to a reflective control switchable thin film material composed of a multilayer thin film in which a magnesium-titanium alloy thin film is used, and to reflective light control glass, and light control window glass, wherein a magnesium-titanium alloy thin film is used as a control switchable layer, a catalyst layer is formed on the surface of the thin film, a protective layer is optionally formed over the catalyst layer, the material has chromic characteristics whereby a colorless and transparent state is produced by hydrogenation at room temperature (about 20&#xb0; C.), and the material has chromic characteristics whereby a mirror state is produced by dehydrogenation at room temperature (about 20&#xb0; C.), and thereby a novel magnesium-titanium alloy thin film material that exhibits excellent reflective control switchable characteristics and is colorless when transparent is provided.

Color-neutral reflective control switchable thin film material

A reflective photochromic element having a diffuse reflective surface is provided. A diffuse reflection type photochromic element has a transparent thin film having surface irregularities formed on a transparent base and a reflective photochromic thin film layer having surface irregularities formed on that transparent thin film. A diffuse reflection type photochromic glass material includes the aforementioned diffuse reflection type photochromic element as a constituent unit. A method for manufacturing a diffuse reflection type photochromic unit includes the steps of forming a transparent thin film having surface irregularities integrally or separately on a transparent base and forming a reflective photochromic thin film layer having surface irregularities on that transparent thin film.

Reflective light control element with diffusible reflecting surface

The present invention provides a switchable mirror material comprising (1) a magnesium thin film having a thickness of 40 nm or less, or a magnesium-nickel alloy thin film having an alloy composition represented by MgNi (0.1<x<0.3), (2) a transparent catalyst layer formed on a surface of the magnesium-containing thin film, and (3) a transparent protective layer optionally formed on the catalyst layer. The switchable mirror material has a chromic property which allows the thin film to be switched from a mirror state into a transparent state by means of hydrogenation of the thin film at about 20&deg; C., and to be switched from the transparent state into the mirror state by means of dehydrogenation of the thin film in the range of about 20&deg; C. to 100&deg; C. The present invention also provides a switchable mirror glass having a surface formed with the switchable mirror material, a switchable mirror window, a method of switching the states of a switchable mirror glass, and an article having the switchable mirror function.

Switchable mirror glass using magnesium-containing thin film

The present invention provides a method for producing layered aluminum fine particles, and applications to single electron tunneling quantum devices, and the present invention further relates to a method for producing spherical metallic aluminum fine particles (layered aluminum fine particles), characterized in that metallic aluminum is supplied into a mixed gas of helium and 1&times;10,to 3&times;10,torr water vapor by sputtering induced by argon gas discharge to generate aggregates, after which this product is released into a vacuum to generate single crystals in which the surface layer is covered with alumina.

Growing community of inventors

Aichi, Japan

Kazuki Yoshimura