Methods for encapsulating nanocrystals

• US 20080237540A1
• Filed: 03/19/2008
• Published: 10/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nanosys Incorporated (Shoei Electronic Materials, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Nanosys Incorporated (Shoei Electronic Materials, Inc.)
• Inventors: Dubrow, Robert S.
• Application Number:
  US12/076,530
• Publication Number:
  US 20080237540A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 252/301.6S
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 11/025 non-luminescent particle coatings or suspension media
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 11/08 containing inorganic luminescent materials
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/10 Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor

Abstract

The present invention provides methods for hermetically sealing luminescent nanocrystals, as well as compositions and containers comprising hermetically sealed luminescent nanocrystals. By hermetically sealing the luminescent nanocrystals, enhanced lifetime and luminescence can be achieved.

Claims

1. A method of hermetically sealing a composition comprising a plurality of luminescent nanocrystals, the method comprising disposing a barrier layer on the composition.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the disposing comprises disposing an inorganic layer.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the disposing the inorganic layer comprises disposing a layer of SiO₂, TiO₂ or AlO₂.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the disposing comprises atomic layer deposition.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the disposing comprises sputtering the barrier layer on the composition.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein a composition comprising a polymer substrate and the nanocrystals is hermetically sealed.

7. The method of claim 1, comprising sealing a composition comprising a plurality of core-shell luminescent nanocrystals.

8. The method of claim 7, comprising sealing a composition comprising a plurality of core-shell luminescent nanocrystals selected from the group consisting of CdSe/ZnS, CdSe/CdS and InP/ZnS.

9. A method of hermetically sealing a container that comprises a plurality of luminescent nanocrystals, the method comprising:

(a) introducing luminescent nanocrystals into the container; and

(b) hermetically sealing the container.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising disposing a barrier layer on the container.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the disposing comprises disposing an inorganic layer.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the disposing an inorganic layer comprises disposing a layer of SiO₂, TiO₂, or AlO₂.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the disposing comprises sputtering a barrier layer on the composition.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the disposing comprises atomic layer deposition.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the introducing comprises introducing a luminescent nanocrystal solution into the container.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising curing the luminescent nanocrystal solution prior to the sealing.

17. The method of claim 9, wherein the introducing comprises drawing a luminescent nanocrystal solution into the container.

18. The method of claim 9, wherein the container is an extruded, polymeric container.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the extruded container is an extruded a poly(methyl methacrylate) container.

20. The method of claim 9, wherein the hermetic sealing comprises heat sealing, ultrasonic welding, soldering or adhesive bonding the container.

21. The method claim 9, wherein the introducing, the hermetic sealing and the disposing occur in an inert atmosphere.

22. The method of claim 9, wherein the introducing comprises introducing core-shell luminescent nanocrystals.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the introducing comprises introducing core-shell luminescent nanocrystals selected from the group consisting of CdSe/ZnS and InP/ZnS.

24. A hermetically sealed composition comprising a plurality of luminescent nanocrystals.

25. The hermetically sealed composition of claim 24, wherein the luminescent nanocrystals comprise semiconductor material.

26. The hermetically sealed composition of claim 24, wherein the luminescent nanocrystals comprise core-shell luminescent nanocrystals.

27. The hermetically sealed composition of claim 26, wherein the core-shell luminescent nanocrystals are selected from the group consisting of CdSe/ZnS, CdSe/CdS and InP/ZnS.

28. The hermetically sealed composition of claim 24, wherein the luminescent nanocrystals are between about 1-10 nm in size.

29. The hermetically sealed composition of claim 24, wherein the composition comprises a barrier layer coating the composition.

30. The hermetically sealed composition of claim 29, wherein the barrier layer comprises an inorganic layer.

31. The hermetically sealed composition of claim 30, wherein the inorganic layer comprises SiO₂, TiO₂ or AlO₂.

32. The hermetically sealed composition of claim 24, wherein the composition is a polymer layer comprising the luminescent nanocrystals.

33. The hermetically sealed composition of claim 24, further comprising a micropattern molded into the composition to form a microlens.

34. The hermetically sealed composition of claim 33, wherein the microlens captures at least 10% more light that is emitted from the composition as compared to a composition that does not comprise the microlens.

35. The hermetically sealed composition of claim 34, wherein the microlens captures about 30-40% more light that is emitted from the composition as compared to a composition that does not comprise the microlens.

36. The hermetically sealed composition of claim 24, further comprising a light-focusing apparatus associated with the composition.

37. A hermetically sealed container comprising a plurality of luminescent nanocrystals.

38. The hermetically sealed container of claim 37, wherein the luminescent nanocrystals comprise semiconductor material.

39. The hermetically sealed container of claim 37, wherein the luminescent nanocrystals comprise core-shell luminescent nanocrystals.

40. The hermetically sealed container of claim 39, wherein the core-shell luminescent nanocrystals are selected from the group consisting of CdSe/ZnS, CdSe/CdS and InP/ZnS.

41. The hermetically sealed container of claim 37, wherein the luminescent nanocrystals are between about 1-10 nm in size.

42. The hermetically sealed container of claim 37, wherein the container further comprises a barrier layer coating the container.

43. The hermetically sealed container of claim 42, wherein the barrier layer comprises an inorganic layer.

44. The hermetically sealed container of claim 43, wherein the inorganic layer comprises SiO₂, TiO₂ or AlO₂.

45. The hermetically sealed container of claim 37, further comprising a micropattern molded into the container to form a microlens.

46. The hermetically sealed container of claim 45, wherein the microlens captures at least 10% more light that is emitted from the container as compared to a container that does not comprise the microlens.

47. The hermetically sealed container of claim 46, wherein the microlens captures about 30-40% more light that is emitted from the container as compared to a container that does not comprise the microlens.

48. The hermetically sealed container of claim 37, further comprising a light-focusing apparatus associated with the container.