The Substrate-Free Liquid Crystal /Polymer Composite Film Preparation Method on the Liquid Surface

KSU.346

 Abstract:This relates to a polymer dispersed liquid crystal device; a substrate-free polymer dispersed liquid crystal component of the device that is polymerized on the liquid surface by using the polymer-induced phase separation method.  Since the polymer matrix containing liquid crystal droplets is initially formed without substrates, it can be transferred easily onto any media, such as on indium-tin-oxide-coated glass substrates, plastic substrates, or any flexible or rigid surfaces coated with conducting layers.

Applications:

·         Switchable windows – "smart" windows

•          Advertisement or information boards

•          High-tech fabric displays switchable between light-scattering opaque and transparent by applying AC electric field

Advantages:

•          Easily sandwiched between ITO-coated plastic or glass substrates to form switchable PDLC film

•          Adaptable to roll-to-roll display manufacturing

•          Reduces PDLC window production cost by eliminating lamination of film between substrates

•          Increases uniformity of device

•          Improves brightness by eliminating plastic substrates completely in production of large-area PDLC units

Inventors:  Dr. John L. West and Dr. Ebru Buyuktanir, Kent State University 

 Licensing Contact

Suguna Rachakonda

Associate Director, Technology Commercialization

Office: 330-672-3553  Fax: 330-672-7991

Email: srachako@kent.edu