Electroordered dipole suspension

• US 4,442,019 A
• Filed: 01/05/1981
• Issued: 04/10/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/1978
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alvin M. Marks
• Original Assignee: Alvin M. Marks
• Inventors: Marks, Alvin M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lieberman, Allan
• Application Number:
  US06/222,377
• Time in Patent Office: 1,191 Days
• Field of Search: 252/309, 350/267, 350/362
• US Class Current: 252/583
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 10/00 Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/172 based on a suspension of orientable dipolar particles, e.g. suspended particles displays

Abstract

An electrodichroic composition of matter comprising a concentrated suspension of submicron conductive particles in an insulating fluid which, upon the application of a strong electric field to the suspension, exhibits a new electroordering effect with greatly improved electrooptical properties. A novel process is described for increasing the resistivity of a dipole suspension. Improved electrooptical panels and displays can be made with compositions which comprise a suspension of submicron asymmetric particles of graphite, molybdenum disulfide, metals such as aluminum, or dichroic crystals such as Herapathite in an insulating fluid.

Claims

1. An electrodichroic composition of matter comprising a fluid suspension of asymmetric electrically charged conductive particles in an insulating surfactant fluid, said electrically charged particles producing an electrostatic field mutually repelling said particles, said fluid suspension having a resistivity exceeding 10¹⁰ ohm-cm, said fluid suspension having a layer thickness of 3-50 μ

m, said fluid suspension layer having a particle concentration such that the ratio of random optical density to thickness in micrometers is between 0.08 and 0.8, a constant amplitude alternating electric voltage, said voltage being applied across said layer, said voltage being such as to produce an electrodichroic ratio of 6 to 40, where said particles form an electroordered array without particle coagulation in said fluid.

2. A composition of matter according to claim 1 in which the said particle concentration is in the medium concentration region.

3. A composition of matter according to claim 1 in which the said particle concentration is in the high concentration region.

4. A particle suspension according to claim 1 in which the particles belong to the class consisting of the metals aluminum, chromium, titanium and tin.

5. A particle suspension according to claim 1 in which the particles belong to the class consisting of the semiconductors carbon (graphite), molybdenum disulfide, silicon and germanium.

6. A particle suspension according to claim 1 in which the particles are dichroic crystals.

7. A composition according to claim 1 in which the particles are dichroic crystals of Herapathite.

8. A composition of matter according to claim 1, said particles having a major length L and separated by a distance exceeding L and less than 5L.

9. A composition of matter according to claim 1 in which the particles are near-resonant asymmetric dipoles, in which the major length is λ

/4n<

L<

λ

/n.

10. A composition of matter acording to claim 1 in which the particles are sub-resonant asymmetric dipoles in which the major length L<

λ

/2n.

11. A composition of matter according to claim 1 in which the particles are plates.

12. A composition of matter according to claim 1 in which the particles are rods.

13. A composition of matter according to claim 1 in which the particles are graphite and in which the insulating surfactant suspending fluid comprises perchloroethylene 85 parts;

an ester from 5 to 15 parts; and

a surfactant from 0 to 5 parts.

14. A composition of matter according to claim 1 in which the insulating surfactant suspending fluid contains near-resonant graphite flake particles whose major length L varies from 2000 to 7000 Å

, the fluid is perchloroethylene about 85 parts, an ester about 10 parts and a silicone about 5 parts;

the optical density per μ

m varies from 0.08 to 1.3;

the composition is in a layer from 3 to 100 μ

m thickness and in which an electroordered array is formed at between 2 and 20 volts/μ

m.

15. A composition of matter according to claim 1 in which the insulating surfactant suspending fluid contains near-resonant graphite flake particles whose major length L varies from 2000 to 7000 Å

, the fluid is perchloroethylene about 85 parts, an ester about 10 parts, a surfactant about 5 parts;

the optical density per μ

m varies from 0.08 to 1.3;

the composition is in a layer from 2 to 100 μ

m thickness and in which an electroordered array is formed at between 2 and 10 volts/μ

m, wherein the rise time is of the order of 15 to 20 ms at 6 to 10 volts/μ

m at a D_r /d of 0.16 to 1.3 and wherein the relax time is about 20 ms and the layer thickness is from 3 to 25 μ

m.

16. A composition of matter according to claim 1 in which the insulating surfactant suspending fluid is selected from the class consisting of aliphatics, esters, platicizers, halogenated aliphatics, halogenated aromatics, silicones and fluorocarbons.

17. A composition of matter according to claim 1 in which said particles are multi-resonant having a length 1>

>

λ

/2n, said particles having one or a few negative charges whereby the relaxation time is minimized and is of the order of 100 ms.

18. A composition of matter according to claim 1 in which the insulating surfactant suspending fluid contains from 0.1 to 5% nitrocellulose and comprises a mixture of lower and higher esters.

19. A composition of matter according to claim 1 in which the insulating surfactant suspending fluid comprises 0.1 to 5% of an electron donating polymer and fluids selected from the class consisting of the lower esters, isobutyl acetate, isopentyl acetate, and the higher esters are selected from the class consisting of pentyl to decyl acetate, whereby the negative charge comprises one or a few charges per particle and the relaxation time is a minimum.

20. A composition of matter according to claim 1 in which the particles are metal flakes having a thickness of 50 to 200 Å

and a length of from 0.2 to 4.0 μ

m.

21. A composition of matter according to claim 1 in which the particles are aluminum which form an electroordered array by an electric field intensity of 0.1 to 1.0 volts/μ

m peak to peak at a frequency exceeding 30 Hz and in which the electrodichroic ratio is between 10 and 20.

22. A remanent electrodichroic composition of matter according to claim 1 in which the particles are conducting flakes, are multi-resonant, have a major length L substantially greater than λ

/2n, and each have either multiple positive or negative charges, whereby said suspension has a relaxation time substantially greater than 1 second.

23. A remanent electrodichroic composition of matter according to claim 1 wherein the insulating surfactant suspending fluid contains 0.01 to 5% polystyrene.

24. An electrodichroic composition of matter according to claim 1 in which said layer is approximately opaque to light in zero voltage and approximately transparent to light when said voltage is applied.

25. A composition of matter according to claim 1 in which said particles each have one or more quanta of the same electric charges either positive or negative.

26. A composition of matter according to claim 1 in which the insulating surfactant suspending fluid is selected from a plasticizer of the class consisting of aliphatic hydrocarbons, esters, halogenated aliphatic hydrocarbons, aromatics, silicones and fluorocarbons, and in which the said aliphatics are selected from the class consisting of 6 to 15 carbon atoms.

27. A composition of matter according to claim 1 in which the insulating surfactant suspending fluid is selected from a plasticizer of the class consisting of aliphatic hydrocarbons, esters, halogenated aliphatic hydrocarbons, halogenated aromatics, silicones and fluourocarbons and in which the esters are selected from the class consisting of butyl to decyl acetate, propionate, or butyrate, the corresponding isoesters such as isopentyl isobutyrate, and plasticizers such as normal-octyl normal-decyl phthalate.

28. An electrodichroic composition of matter according to claim 1, said composition being in a layer showing a threshold effect, in which the electrodichroic ratio Q_rz is 9 to 40;

the random optical density D_r ≃

D_o √

Q_RZ with zero voltage across said layer;

the minimum optical density D_z ≃

D_o /√

Q_rz with voltage V applied across said layer, the median optical density D_o at voltage V/2 is between the limits 1.3<

D_o <

2.3, the particles approach a well formed electroordered array as the applied voltage is increased to V.

29. A composition of matter according to claim 1 in which the insulating surfactant suspending fluid contains near-resonant graphite flake particles whose major length L varies from 2000 to 7000 Å

, the said insulating surfactant suspending fluid comprises an aliphatic fluid about 75 to 99.5 parts, a mineral oil plasticizer 1 to 15 parts, a surfactant lecithin 0.1 to 10 parts, and in which said aliphatic fluid is chosen from the class consisting of nonane, decane and undecane.

30. An electrodichroic composition of matter according to claim 1 in which the insulating surfactant suspending fluid contains a platicizer from 0.1 to 15%, said plasticizer being a surfactant for said particles.

31. An electrodichroic composition of matter according to claim 1 in which the insulating surfactant suspending fluid contains a polymer from 0.1% to 3%, said polymer being a surfactant for said particles.