Electrophoretic displays using nanoparticles
First Claim
1. A process for forming a nanoparticle assembly comprising a nanoparticle secured to an object via a linking group, which process comprises:
- treating a nanoparticle with a linking reagent comprising said linking group and a first functional group capable of reacting with said nanoparticle under the conditions of said treatment, thereby causing said first functional group to react with said nanoparticle and secure said linking group to said nanoparticle;
thereafter treating said nanoparticle carrying said linking group with a modifying reagent effective to generate a second functional group on the linking group, said second functional group being capable of reacting with said object; and
thereafter contacting said nanoparticle carrying said linking group and said second functional group with said object under conditions effective to cause said second functional group to react with said object and thereby form said nanoparticle assembly.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electrophoretic display comprises a fluid and a plurality of nanoparticles having diameters substantially less the wavelengths of visible light such that, when the nanoparticles are in a dispersed state and uniformly dispersed throughout the fluid, the fluid presents a first optical characteristic, but when the nanoparticles are in an aggregated state in which they are gathered into aggregates substantially larger than the individual nanoparticles, the fluid presents a second optical characteristic different from the first optical characteristic. The electrophoretic display further comprises at least one electrode arranged to apply an electric field to the nanoparticle-containing fluid and thereby move the nanoparticles between their dispersed and aggregated states. Various compound particles comprising multiple nanoparticles, alone or in combination with larger objects, and processes for the preparation of such compound particles, are also described.
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Citations
62 Claims
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1. A process for forming a nanoparticle assembly comprising a nanoparticle secured to an object via a linking group, which process comprises:
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treating a nanoparticle with a linking reagent comprising said linking group and a first functional group capable of reacting with said nanoparticle under the conditions of said treatment, thereby causing said first functional group to react with said nanoparticle and secure said linking group to said nanoparticle;
thereafter treating said nanoparticle carrying said linking group with a modifying reagent effective to generate a second functional group on the linking group, said second functional group being capable of reacting with said object; and
thereafter contacting said nanoparticle carrying said linking group and said second functional group with said object under conditions effective to cause said second functional group to react with said object and thereby form said nanoparticle assembly. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A process for forming a nanoparticle assembly comprising first and second nanoparticles secured to each other via a linking group, said first and second nanoparticles bearing charges of opposite polarity, which process comprises:
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treating said first nanoparticle with a linking reagent comprising said linking group and a first functional group capable of reacting with said first nanoparticle under the conditions of said treatment, thereby causing said first functional group to react with said first nanoparticle and secure said linking group to said first nanoparticle;
thereafter treating said first nanoparticle carrying said linking group with a modifying reagent effective to generate a second functional group on the linking group, said second functional group being capable of reacting with said second nanoparticle; and
thereafter contacting said first nanoparticle carrying said linking group and said second functional group with said second nanoparticle under conditions effective to cause said second functional group to react with said second nanoparticle and thereby form said nanoparticle assembly. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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19. An electrophoretic display comprising a fluid, a plurality of a first species of nanoparticles in the fluid and a plurality of a second species of nanoparticles in the fluid, the first and second species of nanoparticles differing in electrophoretic mobility, the display having a viewing surface through which the nanoparticle-containing fluid can be viewed, the display having:
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(a) a first display state in which the first and second species of nanoparticles are dispersed through the fluid;
(b) a second display state in which the first species of nanoparticles are aggregated and visible through the viewing surface; and
(c) a third display state in which the second species of nanoparticles are aggregated and visible through the viewing surface, the first, second and third display states differing in at least one optical characteristic. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. An electronic display comprising, in order:
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a light-transmissive first electrode forming a viewing surface;
an electrophoretic medium comprising a plurality of nanoparticles in a light-transmissive fluid;
a light transmissive second electrode;
an electro-optic medium; and
a third electrode, the electro-optic medium being capable of being switched between a first optical state and a second optical state by application of an electric field between the second and third electrodes, the electronic display having;
(a) a first display state in which the plurality of nanoparticles are dispersed through the fluid and the electro-optic medium is in its first optical state and visible through the viewing surface;
(b) a second display state in which the plurality of nanoparticles are dispersed through the fluid and the electro-optic medium is in its second optical state and visible through the viewing surface; and
(c) a third display state in which the plurality of nanoparticles are aggregated and visible through the viewing surface, the first, second and third display states differing in at least one optical characteristic. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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- 39. A nanoparticle assembly comprising a nanoparticle having a diameter substantially less than the wavelengths of visible light, an object separate from the nanoparticle, and a flexible filament connecting the nanoparticle and the object, such that at least one optical characteristic of the nanoparticle varies with the spacing between the nanoparticle and the object.
- 61. A nanoparticle assembly comprising a plurality of nanoparticles and a polymer chain, the nanoparticles being spaced from one another along the polymer chain, the polymer having first and second conformations such that the distances between adjacent nanoparticles along the chain differ in the first and second conformations and at least one optical characteristic of the nanoparticle assemblies differs between the first and second conformations.
Specification