Accelerated durability testing of electrochromic windows

Prototype electrochromic windows made by several different US companies have been tested in our laboratory for their long-term durability. Samples were subjected to alternate coloring and bleaching voltage cycles while exposed to simulated 1-sun irradiance in a temperature-controlled environmental chamber with low relative humidity. The samples inside the chamber were tested under a matrix of different conditions. These conditions include: cycling at different temperatures (65, 85 and 107 degrees C) under the irradiance, cycling versus no-cycling under the same irradiance and temperature, testing with different voltage waveforms and duty cycles with the same irradiance and temperature, cycling under various filtered irradiance intensities, and simple thermal exposure with no irradiance or cycling. The electro-optical characteristics of the samples were measured between 350 and 1,100 nm every 4,000 cycles for up to 20,000 cycles. Photographs of the samples were taken periodically with a digital camera to record cosmetic defects, the extent of residual coloration, and overall coloration and bleaching uniformity of the samples. Our results indicate that the most important cause of degradation is the combination of continuous cycling, elevated temperature and irradiance. The relative importance of these variables, when considered synergistically or separately, depends on the particular device materials and design. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.