Encapsulated polymer network liquid crystal material, device and applications
First Claim
1. A liquid crystal sensor material, comprising:
- a plurality of liquid crystal droplets, each droplet comprising a liquid crystal material and a polymer network comprising a plurality of crosslinked polymer chains wherein the polymer network is configured to decrease a light transmission voltage of said sensor material;
a polymer matrix located around each of the plurality of liquid crystal droplets such that said each of the plurality of liquid crystal droplets is located within the polymer matrix; and
an interfacial layer located between the polymer matrix and said each of the liquid crystal droplets so as to encapsulate said each of the plurality of liquid crystal droplets with the interfacial layer and inhibit coupling of the networked polymer with the interfacial layer,wherein the polymer network comprising the plurality of crosslinked polymer chains extends to the interfacial layer without substantially anchoring to the interfacial layer, andwherein the polymer network comprising the plurality of crosslinked polymer chains extends substantially across said each droplet from a first portion of the interfacial layer on a first side of said each droplet to a second portion of the interfacial layer on a second side of said each droplet.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Polymer network liquid crystal materials have improved mechanical properties such as rigidity and hardness and substantially improved electro-optical performance. The PNLC material can be manufactured with an emulsion process so as to simplify substantially the manufacturing process. Each LC droplet can be configured with the polymer network extending substantially across the LC droplet, and the polymer network may comprise a material to lower substantially the switching voltage, such as a fluorinated acrylate that may interact with the liquid crystal so as to lower the surface tension of the LC droplet. The PNLC material may comprise an interfacial layer combined with the polymer network so as to decrease substantially the driving voltage.
53 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A liquid crystal sensor material, comprising:
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a plurality of liquid crystal droplets, each droplet comprising a liquid crystal material and a polymer network comprising a plurality of crosslinked polymer chains wherein the polymer network is configured to decrease a light transmission voltage of said sensor material; a polymer matrix located around each of the plurality of liquid crystal droplets such that said each of the plurality of liquid crystal droplets is located within the polymer matrix; and an interfacial layer located between the polymer matrix and said each of the liquid crystal droplets so as to encapsulate said each of the plurality of liquid crystal droplets with the interfacial layer and inhibit coupling of the networked polymer with the interfacial layer, wherein the polymer network comprising the plurality of crosslinked polymer chains extends to the interfacial layer without substantially anchoring to the interfacial layer, and wherein the polymer network comprising the plurality of crosslinked polymer chains extends substantially across said each droplet from a first portion of the interfacial layer on a first side of said each droplet to a second portion of the interfacial layer on a second side of said each droplet. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 19)
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13. A liquid crystal sensor material, comprising:
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a plurality of liquid crystal droplets, each droplet comprising a liquid crystal material and a polymer network comprising a plurality of crosslinked polymer chains; a polymer matrix located around each of the plurality of liquid crystal droplets such that said each of the plurality of liquid crystal droplets is located within the polymer matrix; and an interfacial agent located between the polymer matrix and said each of the liquid crystal droplets so as to encapsulate said each of the plurality of liquid crystal droplets with the interfacial agent such that the polymer network is separated from the polymer matrix with the interfacial agent, wherein the polymer network comprising the plurality of crosslinked polymer chains extends to the interfacial layer without substantially anchoring to the interfacial layer, and wherein the polymer network comprising the plurality of crosslinked polymer chains extends substantially across said each droplet from a first portion of the interfacial layer on a side of said each droplet to a second portion of the interfacial layer on a second side of said each droplet.
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14. A method of manufacturing a sensor material, the method comprising:
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making an emulsion comprising a plurality of droplets of a liquid crystal material dispersed in an aqueous liquid, and an interfacial agent, the droplets comprising a prepolymer dissolved in the liquid crystal material, the aqueous liquid comprising a water based polymer, such that the interfacial agent encapsulates said each of the plurality of droplets to form an interfacial layer, wherein the interfacial agent and the polymer network together lower the surface tension of said each droplet; drying the emulsion such that the water based polymer forms a polymer matrix located around each of the plurality of droplets; and curing the dried emulsion such that the prepolymer forms a polymer network within said each of the plurality of droplets when the polymer matrix is located around said each of the plurality of droplets, wherein the polymer network comprising the plurality of crosslinked polymer chains extends to the interfacial layer without substantially anchoring to the interfacial layer, and wherein the polymer network comprising the plurality of crosslinked polymer chains extends substantially across said each droplet from a first portion of the interfacial layer on a first side of said each droplet to a second portion of the interfacial layer on a second side of said each droplet. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification