TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - POLYMERS - Preferred Device: The electrochromic device is transparent, a mirror or has a low emissivity. The coating (B) is 0.1-100 (0.1-20) micrometers thick and is thermally stable at -50 to 150 degrees C. The electrochromic cell (A) comprises an electrochromic layer, an ion conducting layer and a counter electrode layer. The top portion of the electrochromic device (I) is a glass substrate .Preferred Process: Coating (B) is applied by spin coating spraying, extrusion, roll coating or dip coating while maintaining a relative humidity level of less than 45% and in an inert or low oxygen atmosphere. (B) is annealed at 75-250 degrees C.(1) is packaged by providing a laminate material onto the top portion of the device, aligning the second substrate in contact with the laminate material, exposing the electrochromic device to a vacuum to remove air between the device and the substrate, subjecting the device to an elevated temperature and pressure such that the laminate material becomes soft and tacky, and cooling the assembly to resolidify the laminate material and to adhere the second substrate to the top portion of the device. The second substrate is adhered to (1) by vacuum bag lamination photovoltaic laminating or by deposition of a hard coating onto (B).Preferred Composition: The polymer solution contains 0.2-10 wt.% (0.5-10 wt.%) (2) and is filtered and out gassed prior to coating. SPECIFIC COMPOUNDS - The polymer (2) has recurring structural units of poly(2,5-benzoxazolediyl (2,2,2-tifluoro-1- (trifluoromethyl) ethylidene)- 5,2-benzoxazolediyl- 4,4'-phenylether)n';    alpha-(1,4-Biphenylyl)- omega-(4-((4- (4-phenylphenoxy) phenyl) phenyl phosphinyl) phenoxy)- poly (oxy-1,4-phenylene (phenyl phosphinylidene)- 1,4-phenyleneoxy- 1,4-phenylene- 9H-fluoren-9-ylidene- 1,4-phenylene)n; or    alpha-(1,4-biphenylyl)- omega-(4-((4- (4-phenyl phenoxy) phenyl) phenyl phosphinyl) phenoxy)- poly (oxy-1,4-phenylene (phenyl phosphinylidene)- 1,4-phenyleneoxy- 1,4-phenylene (2,2,2-trifluoro- 1-(trifluoromethyl) ethylidene) 1,4-phenylene)n.    EXAMPLE - The transmittance of coated and uncoated electrochromic devices in the bleached state was monitored over 62000 coloring cycles (8 month period). The uncoated device showed a rapid deterioration in transmittance with a reduction from an initial value of roughly 0.75 to 0.28 after 15000 cycles. In comparison the coated device showed no deterioration in optical quality over 62000 cycles.