APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING ENCAPSULATED LIQUID CRYSTALS AND LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY INCLUDING THE ENCAPSULATED LIQUID CRYSTALS

• US 20120162586A1
• Filed: 08/17/2011
• Published: 06/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hoseo University Academic Cooperation Foundation, Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hoseo University Academic Cooperation Foundation, Samsung Mobile Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: BAEK, Jong-In, UH, Kee-Han, KIM, Jae-Hyun, PARK, Won-Sang, LIM, Jae-Ik, JHUN, Chul Gyu
• Granted Patent: US 9,146,415 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 349/122
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 13/14 Polymerisation; cross-linking
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 19/544 as dispersing or encapsulating medium around the liquid crystal
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1334 based on polymer dispersed liquid crystals, e.g. microencapsulated liquid crystals

Abstract

An apparatus for manufacturing encapsulated liquid crystals including at least one first flow duct configured to have liquid crystals flow therethrough, at least one second flow duct configured to have encapsulation film materials flow therethrough, a third flow duct configured to have an inflow portion connected to an outflow portion of the first flow duct and an outflow portion of the second flow duct and to have liquid crystal droplets in which the liquid crystals and the encapsulation film materials are mixed flow therethrough, and a curing machine configured to manufacture the encapsulated liquid crystals by curing the liquid crystal droplets.

Claims

1. An apparatus for manufacturing encapsulated liquid crystals, comprising:

at least one first flow duct configured to have liquid crystals flow therethrough;

at least one second flow duct configured to have encapsulation film materials flow therethrough;

a third flow duct configured to have an inflow portion connected to an outflow portion of the first flow duct and an outflow portion of the second flow duct and to have liquid crystal droplets in which the liquid crystals and the encapsulation film materials are mixed flow therethrough; and

a curing machine configured to manufacture the encapsulated liquid crystals by curing the liquid crystal droplets.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a liquid crystal droplet generator where the outflow portion of the first flow duct, the outflow portion of the second flow duct, and the inflow portion of the third flow duct are met manufactures the liquid crystal droplets by mixing the liquid crystals and the encapsulation film materials.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a first injector for injecting the liquid crystals into the first flow duct; and

a second injector for injecting the encapsulation film materials into the second flow duct.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein a flux and flow rate of the liquid crystals flowing through the first flow duct is controlled by adjusting a pressure of the first injector, and

a flux and flow rate of the encapsulation film materials flowing through the second flow duct is controlled by adjusting a pressure of the second injector.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the encapsulation film materials comprise a silica-based or fluorine-based UV-curable surface active agent or any one selected from among different kinds of curable surface active agents.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the encapsulation film materials comprise any one selected from among deionized gelatine, polyvinyl alcohol, and latex.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a diameter of the first flow duct to the third flow duct is a micrometer unit.

8. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the second flow duct and the third flow duct are placed on an identical straight line, and the first flow duct is orthogonal to the second flow duct and the third flow duct at the liquid crystal droplet generator.

9. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first flow duct and the third flow duct are placed on an identical straight line, and the second flow duct is orthogonal to the first flow duct and the third flow duct at the liquid crystal droplet generator.

10. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first flow duct and the third flow duct are placed on an identical straight line, the second flow duct is orthogonal to the first flow duct and the third flow duct at the liquid crystal droplet generator, and the second flow duct comprises a second upper flow duct and a second lower flow duct which meet at the liquid crystal droplet generator.

11. A method of manufacturing encapsulated liquid crystals, comprising:

injecting liquid crystals into a first flow duct using a first injector;

injecting encapsulation film materials into a second flow duct using a second injector;

producing liquid crystal droplets in which the liquid crystals and the encapsulation film materials are mixed at a liquid crystal droplet generator where an outflow portion of the first flow duct, an outflow portion of the second flow duct, and an inflow portion of the third flow duct are met; and

manufacturing the encapsulated liquid crystals by curing the liquid crystal droplets.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the encapsulated liquid crystals are manufactured by curing the encapsulation film materials of the liquid crystal droplets flowing through the third flow duct.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the encapsulated liquid crystals are manufactured by curing the encapsulation film materials of the liquid crystal droplets drained from the third flow duct.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein a flux and flow rate of the liquid crystals flowing through the first flow duct is controlled by adjusting a pressure of the first injector, and

a flux and flow rate of the encapsulation film materials flowing through the second flow duct is controlled by adjusting a pressure of the second injector.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the encapsulation film materials comprise any one selected from among a silica-based or fluorine-based UV-curable surface active agent, different kinds of curable surface active agents, deionized gelatine, polyvinyl alcohol, and latex.

16. A liquid crystal display, comprising:

a first substrate;

a first electrode formed on the first substrate;

a second substrate configured to face the first substrate;

a second electrode formed on the second substrate; and

a liquid crystal layer formed between the first electrode and the second electrode and configured to include a plurality of encapsulated liquid crystals, including liquid crystals and encapsulation films each surrounding the liquid crystals,

wherein a diameter of each of the plurality of encapsulated liquid crystals has a deviation of ±

6.5% from an average diameter of the plurality of encapsulated liquid crystals.

17. The liquid crystal display of claim 16, wherein the encapsulated liquid crystals comprise cholesteric encapsulation liquid crystals, including cholesteric liquid crystals and cholesteric encapsulation films each surrounding the cholesteric liquid crystals.

18. The liquid crystal display of claim 16, wherein the encapsulated liquid crystals comprise:

left-handed cholesteric encapsulation liquid crystals, including left-handed cholesteric liquid crystals and left-handed cholesteric encapsulation films each surrounding the left-handed cholesteric liquid crystals; and

right-handed cholesteric encapsulation liquid crystals, including right-handed cholesteric liquid crystals and right-handed cholesteric encapsulation films each surrounding the right-handed cholesteric liquid crystals.

19. The liquid crystal display of claim 18, wherein the left-handed cholesteric encapsulation liquid crystals form a left-handed cholestric liquid crystal encapsulation layer, and

the right-handed cholesteric encapsulation liquid crystals form a right-handed cholestric liquid crystal encapsulation layer.

20. The liquid crystal display of claim 16, wherein the encapsulated liquid crystals comprise nematic encapsulation liquid crystals, including nematic liquid crystals and nematic encapsulation films each surrounding the nematic liquid crystals.

21. The liquid crystal display of claim 16, wherein the encapsulated liquid crystals are evenly dispersed.

22. The liquid crystal display of claim 16, wherein the encapsulated liquid crystals form at least one layer.

23. The liquid crystal display of claim 16, further comprises nanoparticles dispersed between the encapsulated liquid crystals.

24. The liquid crystal display of claim 23, wherein the nanoparticles have a different dielectric constant from the encapsulation film.

25. The liquid crystal display of claim 16, wherein the encapsulated liquid crystals have a diameter of 10 nm to 100 μ

m.

26. The liquid crystal display of claim 25, wherein the encapsulation film has a thickness of 1 nm to 10 μ

m.