U.S. patent application number 12/112851 was filed with the patent office on 2008-10-02 for particles for electrophoretic media.
This patent application is currently assigned to XEROX CORPORATION. Invention is credited to Naveen Chopra, Gabriel Iftime, Peter M. Kazmaier, Man-Chung Tam, San-Ming Yang.
Application Number | 20080237550 12/112851 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37070922 |
Filed Date | 2008-10-02 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080237550 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Yang; San-Ming ; et
al. |
October 2, 2008 |
PARTICLES FOR ELECTROPHORETIC MEDIA
Abstract
Compositions of encapsulated triboelectrically charged particles
and methods for making them using a spinning disc process are
disclosed. The methods can be used to make charged pigment
particles embedded in a neutral polymer matrix. The polymer matrix
keeps oppositely charged pigment particle from agglomerating. The
particles can be used for electrophoretic displays.
Inventors: |
Yang; San-Ming;
(Mississauga, CA) ; Chopra; Naveen; (Oakville,
CA) ; Tam; Man-Chung; (Mississauga, CA) ;
Kazmaier; Peter M.; (Mississauga, CA) ; Iftime;
Gabriel; (Mississauga, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
PEPPER HAMILTON LLP
ONE MELLON CENTER, 50TH FLOOR, 500 GRANT STREET
PITTSBURGH
PA
15219
US
|
Assignee: |
XEROX CORPORATION
Norwalk
CT
|
Family ID: |
37070922 |
Appl. No.: |
12/112851 |
Filed: |
April 30, 2008 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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11093857 |
Mar 30, 2005 |
|
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12112851 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
252/519.33 ;
252/500 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G02F 1/167 20130101;
G02F 2001/1678 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
252/519.33 ;
252/500 |
International
Class: |
H01B 1/20 20060101
H01B001/20 |
Claims
1. A composition comprising. one or more triboelectrically charged
pigment particles dispersed and embedded within a polymer matrix,
wherein the polymeric matrix includes an additive that improves the
tribocharging characteristics of the pigment.
2. The composition of claim 1 wherein the polymer matrix comprises
a melt having a viscosity of less than about 50 centipoise.
3. The composition of claim 1 wherein the polymer matrix comprises
a melt having a viscosity of between about 5 to about 50
centipoise.
4. The composition of claim 1 wherein the polymer matrix comprises
a wax selected from the group consisting of a thermoplastic a
synthetic microcrystalline wax, a crystalline polyethylene wax, and
other wax-like materials having a melting point from about
50.degree. C. to about 200.degree. C. and a sharp melting or
crystallization temperature of less than about 5.degree. C.
5. The composition of claim 1 wherein the additive comprises an
oxide.
6. The composition of claim 1 wherein the additive comprises an
acetate ester of a copolymer of polyethylene and polyethylene
oxide.
7. The composition of claim 1 wherein the pigment particles
comprise spherically shaped particles.
8. The composition of claim 1 wherein the pigment particles
comprise one or more of the following: TiO.sub.2, ZrO.sub.2, ZnO,
Al.sub.2O.sub.3, BaSO.sub.4, and CaCO.sub.3.
9. The composition of claim 1 wherein the pigment particles
comprise one or more of the following: an organic pigment and an
organometallic.
10. The composition of claim 1 wherein the particles are used in an
electrophoretic display device.
11. The composition of claim 1 wherein the particles have an
electrophoretic mobility and density for use in an electrochromic
display.
12. The composition of claim 1 further including a dielectric
fluid.
13. The composition of claim 1 wherein the composition comprises at
least two groups of particles having different electrophoretic
properties.
14. The composition of claim 13 where the particles are buoyant and
suspended without settling in the fluid.
15. A composition comprising: one or more triboelectrically charged
pigment particles dispersed and embedded within a polymer matrix,
wherein the polymeric matrix includes an additive that improves the
tribocharging characteristics of the pigment; and wherein the
additive comprises an acetate ester of a copolymer of polyethylene
and polyethylene oxide, and the composition further including a
dielectric fluid where the particles are buoyant and suspended
without settling in the fluid.
16. The composition of claim 15 wherein the pigment particles
comprise one or more of the following: TiO.sub.2 ZrO.sub.2, ZnO,
Al.sub.2O.sub.3, BaSO.sub.4, and CaCO.sub.3.
17. The composition of claim 15 wherein the pigment particles
comprise one or more of the following: an organic pigment and an
organometallic.
18. A composition comprising: one or more triboelectrically charged
pigment particles dispersed and embedded within a polymer matrix,
wherein the polymeric matrix includes an additive that improves the
tribocharging characteristics of the pigment; and wherein the
additive comprises an oxide, and the composition further including
a dielectric fluid where the particles are buoyant and suspended
without settling in the fluid.
Description
[0001] This application is a continuation of, and claims priority
to, and incorporates by reference U.S. patent application Ser. No.
11/093,857, filed Mar. 30, 2005.
BACKGROUND
[0002] 1. Technical Field
[0003] This disclosure relates to charged particles, such as those
used in electronic paper-like displays, as well as methods for
making such particles.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Prior Art
[0005] Paper-like displays based on the electrophoretic migration
of electrophoretic particles are being developed for use in
commercial displays, document editing, and document retrieval.
Examples of such displays are described in, for example, U.S. Pat.
No. 6,517,618 to Foucher et al, U.S. Pat. No. 6,559,820 to Mikkelso
Jr. et al, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,411,316 to Shigehiro et al., U.S.
Pat. No. 5,961,804 to Jacobsen et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,017,584 to
Albet et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 6,067,185 to Albert et. al each of
which is incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. In
some examples, the electrophoretic particles may be provided in
suspension and sandwiched between one or more transparent
electrodes of the device.
[0006] Some such systems are one-particle systems, where a single
type of particle (usually white) is dispersed in a dark dyed fluid.
In a one-particle device, when the particles migrate to the top
electrode, the device appears white. When the particles migrate to
the bottom electrode, the white particles are hidden by the dyed
fluid, and the device appears dark. Another example of a
one-particle system involves bichromal rotating elements where each
particle is bichromal, and the particles selectively rotate in
response to an applied electric field to produce a two-color image.
Other such systems are two-particle systems, where the display uses
at least two types of particle groups. The particle groups have
different color and charge characteristics with respect to each
other and move differently when the electric field is applied.
Examples of two-particle displays are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.
6,657,611 to Machida et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,525,866 to Lin et al,
and U.S. Pat. No. 6,529,313 to Lin et d a, each of which is
incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
[0007] One challenge in the development of two-particle
electrophoretic displays is the particle design or structure. Each
type of particle has to carry opposite charge so that the particles
move in opposite directions in the electric field created by the
electrodes. The interaction between these two oppositely charged
particles should be minimal to prevent their agglomeration. In
addition, the particles must possess the requisite chemical and
thermal stability to permit their use in the display.
[0008] Current methodologies to make two particle electrophoretic
display systems have focused on the use of different surface
polymer coatings on the pigment particles to stabilize dispersions
of the particles in the display. Examples of such coatings are
disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2004/0217929, to Albert et
al., and World Patent Application Publication No. WO02/093246, to
Honeyman et al., which are incorporated herein by reference in
their entirety. Coated pigment particles are difficult to
manufacture with consistent performance and at low cost. These
kinds of coated particles can suffer from unpredictable dispersion
interaction and poor particle charging, which limits device
reliability.
[0009] Electrophoretic particles that have a polymer coating on the
particles may be suspended in liquid media. Because of their small
size, for example, about one to about two micron-sized particles,
agglomeration is a problem. To prevent particle agglomeration,
various combinations of surface coating procedures and dispersants
are used. However, the incorrect formulation of stabilizers and
additives can have an adverse effect on image bistability, and the
image may not persist. The optimum level of dispersant draws a fine
line between dispersibility and image persistence. Furthermore, the
stabilizer and dispersant additives are physioadsorbed onto the
electrophoretic particles. Over time and continuous particle
migration cycles, these additives can desorb from the particles and
into the surrounding fluid. This can lead to high conductivity of
the fluid, dispersion instability (agglomeration), and loss of
electrophoretic mobility. For a two-particle system, the charging
mechanism of the particles is more complicated than for a
one-particle system. The two types of oppositely charged particles
may interact with one another and agglomerate. This complicates the
formulation of the system.
[0010] Another two-particle system is based on dry toners. In this
case, toner particles typically of an about ten to about twenty
micron size are filled in a micropatterned array and sandwiched
between two electrodes. Only an air gap separates the two
electrodes. The challenge is the uniform filling of large area grid
patterns to accommodate the toner and the charging of toner by
vigorous mechanical tumbling. In the dry toner system, high
voltages of nearly 400 volts are used to migrate the toner back and
forth across the air gap.
[0011] There is a need for electrophoretic particles and
compositions containing them that form stable dispersions and can
be used in electrophoretic media such as displays. It would be
desirable to provide electrophoretic particles for use in such
media at low operating voltages further, there is a need to make
electrophoretic particles with easily controlled electrophoretic
properties in commercially useful quantities and in a cost
effective manner.
SUMMARY
[0012] One embodiment of a composition that may be used in
electrophoretic display devices includes triboelectrically charged
pigment particles dispersed in a polymeric matrix. One embodiment
of an electrophoretic composition may include one or more
triboelectrically charged pigment particles of like polarity
dispersed in a melted polymer matrix. Another embodiment of an
electrophoretic composition may include one or more
triboelectrically charged pigment particles of like polarity
dispersed in the polymeric matrix. The particles may include one or
more triboelectrically charged pigment particles dispersed in the
polymer matrix of each particle. The polymeric particles may be
spheroidally shaped, ellipsoidal, substantially spherical and/or
spherical although other shapes are also possible. She particles of
triboelectrically charged pigment dispersed in the polymer matrix
may have an electrophoretic mobility and density suitable for use
in an electrochromic display. The particles may be prepared to have
a mass and size with a density similar to the dielectric fluid that
may be used in the display; the particles may be near neutrally
buoyant and may be suspended without settling in the dielectric
fluid used in the electrochromic display. The electrophoretic
particles of the composition may be switchable at about .+-.100
volts to about .+-.300 volts in an electrophoretic display, and
they may have an electrophoretic mobility of from about 10.sup.-4
to about 10.sup.-6 cm.sup.2 sec.sup.-1V.sup.-1. The particles of
triboelectrically charged pigment dispersed in the polymer matrix
may be suspended in a dielectric fluid in which they are nearly
neutrally buoyant. The particles of triboelectrically charged
pigment dispersed in the polymer matrix may be suspended in a
dielectric fluid in which they are nearly neutrally buoyant and
further encapsulated by a second polymer to form a capsule.
[0013] The polymer may have a melt viscosity that permits
triboelectric charging of the pigment particles in the melt as they
move across a substrate. In one embodiment the viscosity of the
polymer matrix melt may be less than about 50 centipoise. In
another embodiment the viscosity of the polymer melt may be from
about 5 to about 50 centipoise. In one embodiment the polymer melt
can include an additive that improves the tribocharging
characteristics of the pigment. In another embodiment the additive
may be, for example, an acetate ester of a
polyethylene-polyethylene oxide copolymer such as X5175 from Baker
Petrolite. The additive need not be charge control additives, but
improve the charging characteristics of the pigment. The droplets
released from the edge of the moving substrate or spinning disk
with charged pigment particles dispersed in the melted polymeric
matrix may form particles that are spheroidally shaped ellipsoidal,
substantially spherical, spherical, or a combination of these
shapes. Other particle shapes are also possible. The droplets that
form electrophoretic particles and include the charged pigment
particles dispersed in the melted polymeric matrix may have a
largest dimension of about 250 microns or less; for substantially
spherical particles this can be a diameter of 250 microns or less.
In one embodiment the electrophoretic particles may have a largest
size of from about 0.1 microns to about 250 microns. In another
embodiment the electrophoretic particles may have a largest size of
about 1 to about 10 microns. In one embodiment, the droplets of
charged pigment particles dispersed in the melted polymeric matrix
form substantially spherical balls. As an example, these
substantially spherical electrophoretic balls when incorporated
into an electrophoretic display device as a suspension may provide
a switching time in a cell with about 300 micrometer average
spacing between the electrodes of less than about 200 microseconds
when the spherical balls are dispersed in an about 1 centistoke
dielectric fluid and a square wave of about -300 to about +300
volts is applied to the cell electrodes.
[0014] One embodiment of an electrophoretic display can include a
cell having two opposed conductive plates separated from each other
by an insulator to form a sealed, such as a fluidly sealed, gas
sealed, or airtight sealed, cavity between the plates. Each plate
has one or more electrodes, where the electrodes can be
independently addressable, and where at least one of the plates and
the one or more electrodes are at least substantially transparent.
The cell cavity may include a suspension of an inert dielectric
fluid mixed or combined with one or more triboelectrically charged
encapsulated pigment particles. The dielectric fluid may include a
dye and a single type of electrophoretic particle (one-particle
system). The dielectric fluid may include a first color or
achromatic color of electrophoretic particle that is positively
charged and a second color or achromatic color of electrophoretic
particle that is negatively charged. The individual electrophoretic
particles may be nearly neutrally buoyant in the dielectric fluid,
free of a charge control agent, and include charged pigment
particles dispersed in a polymeric matrix or a polymeric matrix
charged by triboelectric charging. In one embodiment, the pigment
particles dispersed in the polymer matrix are triboelectrically
charged.
[0015] In one embodiment, the device with the triboelectrically
charged pigment particles in the polymeric matrix may have a
contrast ratio that may range from about 5:1 to about 50:1, and the
switching time can range from about 50 milliseconds to about 500
milliseconds. In another embodiment of the device, the
electrophoretic particles of first and second color or achromatic
color are suspended in a second dielectric fluid and encapsulated
by a polymer shell to form one or more capsules, the capsules
positioned between the cell plates of the device.
[0016] Advantageously the methods and particles prepared by the
methods may simplify the display manufacturing process and reduce
or eliminate a charge control agent in the composition or
manufacturing process. These coated triboelectric particles may be
used in electrophoretic based digital document media for a high
resolution electronic paper display.
[0017] In an embodiment, the particles made by the present method
may be nearly 100% spherical that provides high quality packing and
good optical performance. In addition, the pigmented particles may
be embedded inside a hard, chemically inert and low surface energy
polywax matrix, which may minimize particle agglomeration. In some
embodiments, the present process can produces particles with size
from about 250 microns down to about 10 microns through adjustments
the spinning rate so that no chemical change in formulation is
required.
[0018] In some embodiments, the triboelectric particles may be used
for electrophoretic based digital display media and for electronic
paper display with active matrix drivers.
[0019] These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the
present invention will become better understood with regard to the
following description, appended claims, and accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0020] FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic setup of an apparatus that
may be used to make polymer coated charged pigment particles.
[0021] FIG. 2 presents graphs of dynamic reflectivity
measurements.
[0022] FIG. 3 illustrates results of dynamic current
measurements.
[0023] FIG. 4 shows an illustration and optical micrographs of two
particle devices in the white (A) and black (B) state.
[0024] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary two-particle
display device.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0025] As used herein, electrophoresis means the movement of
charged particles suspended in a suspending fluid under the
influence of an applied electric field. If the electric field is
applied between electrodes in a cell, the particles may migrate,
depending on their polarity, to either the cathode or the anode
while the suspending fluid may remain substantially stationary.
When a coincident voltage is applied to selected electrodes, the
particles in the suspending fluid may migrate under the influence
of the electric field to the electrode having a polarity opposite
from their own. Since the selection of electrodes may generally
relate to an image or pattern, the particles may form an image or
pattern.
[0026] As used herein, the terms "triboelectrically charged" and
"tribocharged" refer to an object that carries an electrical charge
that was produced by friction.
[0027] One embodiment of an electrophoretic particle composition
may include one or more triboelectrically charged pigment particles
dispersed in a polymer matrix. The one or more triboelectrically
charged pigment particles may be dispersed in the polymer matrix
without using solvents. The pigment particles may be
triboelectrically charged by movement or flow in a heated
thermoplastic material, such as a melted polymer, that travels
across a heated surface such as a spinning surface during the
electrophoretic particle manufacturing process.
[0028] To make the electrophoretic particles, the polymer matrix
with the pigment particles may be subject to mixing and friction
through methods including but not limited to spreading the heated
thermoplastic polymeric material and pigment particles across a
heated substrate; heating the matrix and pigment particles and
spinning them on a spinning disk; and/or releasing them in a liquid
state as a droplet from a spinning disk. The spreadable or liquid
matrix with dispersed charged particles may form solid
electrophoretic particles by cooling the thermoplastic material
below its glass transition temperature to set the charged pigment
particles in the thermoplastic material. In an embodiment, the
electrophoretic particles may be substantially spherical particles
that may be nearly neutrally buoyant in a dielectric fluid when
used in an electrophoretic display.
[0029] The thermoplastic polymer that disperses the charged pigment
particles may be a material that has a low melt viscosity and that
permits the triboelectric charging of the pigment particles as the
mixture of polymer melt and pigment particles moves across a heated
substrate and become charged. The thermoplastic polymer may also
become triboelectrically charged. In one embodiment, the polymer
that the charged pigment particles are dispersed in may be one that
has a low melt viscosity and that permits the triboelectric
charging of the pigment particles as the mixture of polymer melt
and pigment particles moves across a spinning or rotating disk. The
amount of the pigment particles in the microcrystalline wax or
other base polymer may be chosen to provide the electrophoretic
particle with a useful electrophoretic mobility and a density for
its intended use. The polymer matrix need not contain a charge
control agent to charge the particles, and the pigments do not
require a coating or charge control agent. In addition, the
electrophoretic particles can be prepared without the use of
solvents. In one version, one or more dyes may be used to color the
wax or thermoplastic to give colored triboelectrically charged
electrophoretic particles.
[0030] the base polymer that forms the matrix in which the
triboelectrically charged particles are dispersed can be a
thermoplastic, a synthetic microcrystalline wax, a crystalline
polyethylene wax, or other wax-like materials that may have a
melting point in the range of about 50.degree. C. to about
200.degree. C. and a sharp melting/crystallization temperature of
less than about 5.degree. C. Other examples of base polymers
include: waxes such as carnauba wax, candelia wax, castor wax, or
the like.
[0031] The term "owax" is utilized herein to refer to a low-melting
organic mixture of compound of high molecular weight, solid at room
temperature, and generally similar in composition to fats and oils
except that it contains no glycerides. Some are hydrocarbons,
others are esters of fatty acids and alcohols. They are classed
among the lipids. Waxes are thermoplastic, but because they are not
high polymers, they are not considered in the family of plastics.
Common properties, are water repellency, smooth texture, low
toxicity, freedom from objectionable odor and color. They are
combustible and have good dielectric properties; soluble in most
organic solvents, insoluble in water. The major types are as
follows: Natural: (1) Animal (beeswax, lanolin, shellac wax,
Chinese insect wax); (2) Vegetable (carnauba, candelilla, bayberry,
sugar cane); (3) Mineral: Fossil or earth waxes (ozocerite,
ceresin, montan); Petroleum waxes (paraffin, micro-crystalline)
(slack or scale wax). Synthetic: (1) Ethylenic polymers and polyol
ether-esters ("Carboxwax," sorbitol); (2) Chlorinated naphthalenes
("Halowax)", (3) Hydrocarbon type, i.e., Fischer-Tropsch
synthesis.
[0032] Examples of such commercially available materials and their
sources include polyethylene and polypropylene waxes and their
modified derivatives. One example of a polyethylene wax is Polywax
1000, manufactured by the Baker-Petrolite Corporation. This
material is a nearly crystalline polyethylene wax with a narrow
molecular weight distribution, and, consequently, a narrow melt
distribution. This material retains a low melt viscosity until just
above the melting temperature, a desirable property for the
spherodization of the particles. Other examples include lower
molecular weight Polywax materials, such as Polywax 400, Polywax
500, Polywax 600, Polywax 655, Polywax 725, Polywax 850, as well as
higher molecular weight Polywax materials such as Polywax 2000, and
Polywax 3000. Other examples of commercially available polyethylene
waxes include members of the Licowax product line, available from
Clariant. Examples of such materials include: Licowax PA520 S,
Licowax PE130, and Licowax PE520, as well as micronized
polyethylene waxes such as Ceridust 230, Ceridust 3615, Ceridust
3620, and Ceridust 6071.
[0033] Examples of commercially available montan waxes include
Licolub CaW 3, Licowax E, Licowax OP, all available from
Clariant.
[0034] A commercially available synthetic form of carnauba wax is
Petronauba C, available from Baker-Petrolite Corporation.
[0035] Examples of polypropylene waxes include Licomont AR504,
Licowax PP230, Ceridust 6071, Ceridust 6072, Ceridust 6721
(Clariant).
[0036] Examples of modified polyethylene waxes include linear
alcohol waxes such as: Unilin alcohols including Unilin 350, Unilin
425, Unilin 550 and Unilin 700 (Baker-Petrolite Corporation);
linear carboxylic acid such as Unicid carboxylic acid polymers
including Unicid 350, Unicid 425, Unicid 550, and Unicid 700
(Baker-Petrolite Corporation), oxidized polymer materials such as
Cardis 314, Cardis 36, Cardis 320 (Baker-Petrolite Corporation) and
oxidized polyethylene waxes such as Petrolite C-8500, Petrolite
C-7500, Petrolite F-2020, Petrolite C-9500, Petrolite E-040
(Baker-Petrolite Corporation).
[0037] Furthermore, in addition to waxes, different polymer
materials, including other low polymers, can also be utilized
herein so long as the desired properties and characteristics are
produced thereby. Examples of such additional polymers include, but
are not limited to, maleic anhydride-ethylene copolymers, maleic
anhydride polypropylene copolymers, nylons, polyesters,
polystyrene, poly(chloromethylstyrene), and acrylates such as
polymethylmethacrylate.
[0038] Commercially available examples of maleic anhydride-ethylene
copolymers include Ceramer polymers such as Ceramer 1608, Ceramer
1251, Ceramer 67, and Ceramer 5005
(Baker-Petrolite Corporation)
[0039] Commercially available examples of maleic functional
polypropylene polymers include X-10036 and X-10016 (Baker-Petrolite
Corporation)
[0040] Commercially available examples of propylene-ethylene
copolymers include Petrolite copolymers such as Petrolite EP-700,
Petrolite EP-1104, Petrolite EP-1100, Petrolite EP-1200
(Baker-Petrolite Corporation)
[0041] In an embodiment, the base polymer has a low melt viscosity,
for example in the range of about 10 to about 100 centipoise when
used to disperse the charged pigments. In another embodiment, the
base polymer has a low melt viscosity, for example in the range of
about 30 to about 50 centipoise when used to disperse the charged
pigments. In one embodiment the thermoplastic may have a viscosity
below about 50 centipoise at a temperature of below about
150.degree. C. An example of a material that can be used as a base
polymer is a polyethylene was, such as Polywax 1000 from Baker
Petrolite. These properties, a sharp melt transition about
5.degree. C. or less and low melt viscosity, ease the flow of
melted wax on the spinning disc and aid in spherical droplet
formation and subsequent sphere formation. The size of particles
formed by the droplets of polymer and charged pigment depends upon
the speed of the fluid flowing across the heated substrate. The
particle size may depend inversely on the rotating speed of the
disc and may depend on the melt viscosity of the pigmented wax. For
example, spinning a disk with a diameter of from about a 4
centimeter to about an 8 centimeter at about 5000 to about 6000
rotations per minute of can be used to form micron sized particles.
Other rotational speeds are also possible for making the spherical
particles. In one embodiment the particles are about 1 to about 2
microns in size, and in another embodiment the particles are about
3 to about 5 microns in size. The melt viscosity of pigmented wax
can be decreased by using low molecular weight polyethylene, for
example Polywax 850 or Polywax 725, although other materials to
modify the melt viscosity with different molecular weights or
molecular weight distributions may also be used.
[0042] The particles and material fabrication process can be
extended to other higher temperature polymer bases such as PW2000
from Baker Petrolite. These higher temperature melting
thermoplastic polymers can be used for high temperature
electrophoretic display applications. The heated moving substrate,
for example a spinning disk with a shroud heater, can be brought to
a temperature at which the viscosity of the melt is in the range of
about 30 to about 50 centipoise. These higher temperature materials
may eliminate the special cold lamination and post heating process
that are often used for two-particle systems to make them stable at
high temperatures. In one embodiment the particles are stable up to
about 90.degree. C. and in other embodiments the particle may be
stable up to about 100.degree. C. or more.
[0043] Suitable pigments for use in the electrophoretic particle
compositions are those that can be triboelectrically charged.
Suitable pigments may include for example TiO.sub.2, ZrO.sub.2,
ZnO, Al.sub.2O.sub.3 BaSO.sub.4, CaCO.sub.3, organic pigments,
organometallics, other pigments and combinations of these. In one
embodiment, pigments that are chemically and physically compatible
with the encapsulating polymer or dielectric fluid and are
triboelectrically charged in a polymer matrix. Examples of pigments
include but are not limited to the black pigment Ferro 6331 from
Ferro Inc., which can be positively tribocharged, or a white
titania pigment such as titania R104 from E.I. DuPont deNemours
& Co. which can be tribocharged negatively. Other suitable
colorants may include black colorants like REGAL 330.RTM.;
magnetites, such as Mobay magnetites MO8029.TM., MO8060.TM.;
Columbian magnetites; MAPICO BLACKS.TM. and surface treated
magnetites; Pfizer magnetites CB4799.TM., CB5300.TM., CB5600.TM.,
MCX6369.TM.; Bayer magnetites, BAYFERROX 8600.TM., 8610.TM.;
Northern Pigments magnetites, NP-604.TM.. NP-608.TM.; Magnox
magnetites TMB-100.TM., or TMB-104.TM.; and the like, suitable
colored pigments or colorants may include, but are not limited to,
cyan, magenta, yellow, red, green, brown, blue colorants or
mixtures thereof, other examples of pigments include phthalocyanine
HELIOGEN BLUE L6900.TM., L70201.TM., D6840.TM., D7080.TM.,
D7020.TM., K6910.TM., and K7020.TM., available from BASF, PYLAM OIL
BLUE.TM., PYLAM OIL YELLOW.TM., PIGMENT BLUE 1.TM. available from
Paul Uhlich & Company, Inc., PIGMENT VIOLET 1.TM., PIGMENT RED
48.TM. LEMON CHROME YELLOW DCC 1026.TM., E.D. TOLUIDINE RED.TM. and
BON RED C.TM. available from Dominion Color Corporation, Ltd.,
Toronto, Ontario, NOVAPERM YELLOW FGL.TM., HOSTAPERM PINK E.TM.
from Hoechst, and CINQUASIA MAGENTA.TM. available from E.I. DuPont
de Nemours & Company, and the like; colorants that may be
selected are black, cyan, magenta, or yellow, and mixtures thereof,
examples of magentas that may be used are 2,9-dimethyl-substituted
quinacridone and anthraquinone dye identified in the Color Index as
CI-60710, CI Dispersed Red 15, diazo dye identified in the Color
Index as CI-26050, CI Solvent Red 19, and the like; examples of
cyans that may be used include copper tetra(octadecyl sulfonamido)
phthalocyanine, x-copper phthalocyanine pigment listed in the Color
Index as CT 74160, CI Pigment Blue, and Anthrathrene Blue,
identified in the Color Index as CI 69810, Special Blue X-2137, and
the like; while illustrative examples of yellows that may be used
are diarylide yellow 3,3-dichlorobenzidene acetoacetanilides, a
monoazo pigment identified in the Color Index as CI 12700, CT
Solvent Yellow 16, a nitrophenyl amine sulfonamide identified in
the Color Index as Foron Yellow SE/GLN, CT Dispersed Yellow 33
2,5-dimethoxy-4-sulfonanilide phenylazo-4'-chloro-2,5-dimethoxy
acetoacetanilide, and Permanent Yellow FGL. Colored magnetites,
such as mixtures of MAPICO BLACK.TM., and cyan components may also
be selected as colorants; other known colorants that may be
selected, such as Levanyl Black A-SF (Miles, Bayer) and Sunsperse
Carbon Black LHD 9303 (Sun Chemicals), Paliogen Black L9984 9BASF),
Pigment Black K801 (BASF) and carbon blacks such as REGAL 330,
REGAL 660 (Cabot), Carbon Black 5250 and 5750 (Columbian
Chemicals), and colored dyes such as Paliogen Violet 5100 and 5890
(BASE), Normandy Magenta RD-2400 (Paul Uhlrich), Permanent Violet
VT2645 (Paul Uhlrich), Heliogen Green L8730 (BASE), Argyle Green
XP-111-S (Paul Uhlrich), Brilliant Green Toner GR 0991 (Paul
Uhlrich), Lithol Scarlet D3700 (BASF), Scarlet for Thermoplast NSD
Red (Aldrich), Neopen Blue FF4012 (BASF) Sudan Blue OS (BASF), PV
Fast Blue B2G01 (American Hoechst). Sunsperse Blue BLIP 6000 (Sun
Chemicals), Irgalite Blue BCA (Ciba-Geigy), Paliogen Blue 6470
(BASF), Sudan II (Matheson, Coleman, Bell), Sudan III (Matheson,
Coleman, Bell), Sudan IV (Matheson, Coleman, Bell), Sudan Orange C
(Aldrich), Sudan Orange 220 (BASF), Paliogen Orange 3040 (BASF),
Ortho Orange OR2673 (Paul Uhlich), Paliogen Yellow 152, 1560
(BASF), Lithol Fast Yellow 0991K (BASF), Paliotol Yellow 1840
(BASF), Neopen Yellow (BASF), Novoperm Yellow FG 1, and FGL
(Hoechst), Permanent Yellow YE 0305 (Paul Uhlich), Lumogen Yellow
D0790 (BASF), Sunsperse Yellow YHD 6001 (Sun Chemicals), Suco-Gelb
L1250 (BASF), Suco-Yellow D1355 (BASF), Sico Fast Yellow D1165,
11355, and D1351 (BASF), Hostaperm Pink E (American Hoechst), Fanal
Pink D4830 (BASF), Cinquasia Magenta (DuPont). Lithol Scarlet D3700
(BASE), Toluidine Red (Aldrich), Scarlet for Thermoplast NSD PS PA
(Ugine Kuhlmann of Canada), E. D. Toluidine Red (Aldrich), Lithol
Rubine Toner (Paul Uhlich), Lithol Scarlet 4440 (BASF), Bon Red C
(Dominion Color Company), Royal Brilliant Red RD-8192 (Paul
Uhlich), Oracet Pink PF (Ciba-Geigy), Paliogen Red 3871K (BASF),
Paliogen Red 3340 (BASE), and Lithol Fast Scarlet L4300 (BASF). The
triboelectric series can be used as a guide for selecting materials
like the pigment. The average size of the chargeable pigment
particles may be in the range of from about 0.05 microns to about
10 microns, although other pigment sizes are also possible. By
choice of pigment material, the pigment particles can be made with
a desired magnitude of charge and polarity.
[0044] The pigment particles can have any color or achromatic color
useful in a display device. Black, white and gray are not true
colors (or hues), they are considered to be neutral, achromatic
colors. Pigments that are complementary to each other or to a dye
in a dielectric fluid used in a display device can be used to make
electrophoretic particles by triboelectric charging.
[0045] Additives, for example X5175 which may be obtained from
Baker Petrolite Corp and which is an acetate ester of a copolymer
of polyethylene and polyethylene oxide with the generic formula
CH.sub.3CH.sub.2--(CH.sub.2CH.sub.2).sub.y(OCH.sub.2CH.sub.2),
--OCOCH.sub.3, where y is approximately 13-17 and x is
approximately 30-50 (also referred to as the acetate ester of
Unithox 480), can be used to improve the tribocharging
characteristics of the pigment particles, such as Ferro 6331 or
other black pigments. These and other similar agent or additives
are not charge control agents and may optionally be added to a
mixture of pigment and heated wax to improve the tribocharging
characteristics of the mixture.
[0046] To form images, electrophoretic displays use a composition
that may include a suspension of neutrally buoyant electrophoretic
particles, for example triboelectrically charged pigment particles
dispersed within a thermoplastic microcrystalline wax or other base
polymer, in a dielectric fluid. The electrophoretic particles of
physically charged pigment particles embedded in the thermoplastic
microcrystalline wax minimize agglomeration or do not agglomerate
with each other when suspended in a dielectric fluid at a
concentration used in an electrophoretic display. The concentration
or amount of these electrophoretic particles in the dielectric
fluid may be chosen to provide coverage of the cell and contrast
for use. In one embodiment the concentration or amount of these
electrophoretic particles in the dielectric fluid may be may be in
the range of from about 1% to about 20% of the mass of the
dielectric fluid. In another embodiment the concentration or amount
of these electrophoretic particles in the dielectric fluid may be
in the range of from about 1% to about 30% of the mass of the
dielectric fluid. In one embodiment the dielectric fluid may have a
kinematic viscosity in the range of about 0.25 centistoke to about
10 centistoke. In another embodiment the dielectric fluid may have
a kinematic viscosity in the range of about 1 centistoke to about 2
centistoke. Fluids, such as halogenated organic solvents, saturated
linear or branched hydrocarbons, silicone oils, and low molecular
weight halogen-containing polymers and combinations of these are
some useful dielectric fluids for electrophoretic particles
displays. The dielectric fluid may include a dye for one-particle
systems. Oppositely charged pigment particles coated with a
thermoplastic microcrystalline wax do not agglomerate with each
other when suspended in a dielectric fluid at a concentration used
in an electrophoretic display. The composition can also include
coloring dyes, defoamers and/or other additives used for assembling
an electrophoretic display cell.
[0047] FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a system with a heated
substrate 132 that melted thermoplastic material and pigment 120
moves across to form electrophoretic particles 104. In FIG. 1 the
device may include a polymer melt reservoir 116 that dispenses
heater polymer with pigment particles 120, a spinning disc 132 that
triboelectrically charges the pigment and forms droplets 104 of the
melted polymer, a shroud heater 112 for heating the polymer 134 on
the disk, and a nozzle 124 with opening 140 positioned above the
spinning disk 132 that can be used to dispense a mixture of a
melted thermoplastic polymer and pigment 120 onto the spinning
disk. The spinning disk 132 may be mounted upon a rotatable spindle
136. The shroud 144 serves to prevent premature cooling and
solidification of the melted polymer A narrow slit 128 between the
shroud 144 and disk 132 is where the pigment/polymer
droplets/particles are ejected. The shroud 144 may also serve to
minimize any air turbulence that may interfere with particle 104
preparation. The liquid and pigment are moved to the periphery of
the disk 132 under the influence of centrifugal force where it
separates to form droplets 148 that form particles 104. A disk that
is about 4 cm to about 8 cm in diameter and about 0.0125 to about
0.0250 centimeters thick may be rotated at about 5000 to about 6000
rotations per minute successfully to produces balls about 100
microns or less in diameter. Optionally, the edge of the disk may
be contoured to manipulate the release and size of droplets formed
by the heated liquid, for example the disk edge may be square,
rounded, tapered, or an other shaped edge.
[0048] A liquid supply or reservoir 116 may be used to heat and
supply the fluid polymeric material to the moving substrate 132.
The reservoir 116 may be heated, such as to a temperature above the
glass transition temperature of the wax or thermoplastic, and
maintained at the temperature using a suitable heating system, such
as a controller and thermocouple. In one embodiment the pigment and
thermoplastic or base polymer may be added as a mixture to the
reservoir by volume or weight percentage in the range of about 5 wt
% to about 40 wt %. In another embodiment the pigment and
thermoplastic or base polymer may be added as a mixture to the
reservoir by volume or weight percentage in the range of about 15
wt % to about 30 wt %. Optionally, the mixture may be mixed in the
reservoir using a paddle wheel and stir shaft feedthrough to
contact the liquid in the reservoir 116.
[0049] The nozzle 124 may also be heated by any suitable heating
device, The nozzle may include a heated or unheated metering valve
to automatically or manually control the flow rate or amount of
liquid with dispersed pigment delivered to the substrate 132. The
flow of polymer from the reservoir to the moving substrate may be
achieved using a gear pump or a pressurized gas in contact with the
molten polymer and pigment in the reservoir. The metering valve may
be used to control the flow of material to the substrate. The
nozzle tip 140 diameter, tip shape, and distance from the moving
substrate may be modified to produce the desired fluid profile 134
onto the moving substrate 132.
[0050] The pigmented liquids 120 may be delivered to the metering
members in a heated, molten state so that they flow freely and do
not harden prematurely, i.e. long enough to prevent the ligaments
from freezing. In one embodiment the pigmented liquids 120 may be
delivered to the metering members in a heated, molten state at a
temperature of from about 100.degree. C. to about 200.degree. C. In
another embodiment the pigmented liquids 120 may be delivered to
the metering members in a heated, molten state at a temperature of
from about 115.degree. C. to about 140.degree. C. A heating coil or
other heating device may be placed in contact with the stationary
liquid delivery assembly. It has been found that with liquid wax,
O-rings made of a fluorocarbon rubber such as Viton (trademark of
E.I. DuPont de Nemours & Co.) may be appropriate to withstand
the required temperature and, in fact, are lubricated by the
liquid. A shroud heater 112 may be used to keep the viscosity of
the melt in a working range during the spinning and charging
process. A pressure head of about 1 to about 40 pounds per square
inch (psi), or from about 5 to about 10 psi may be used for feeding
the liquids through their respective paths, to fill the reservoirs
and to feed them uniformly through metering slots 140 at a
thickness of about 0.05 to about 2 mm, or from about 0.1 to about 1
mm onto the surfaces of the moving substrate or disk 132. In one
version, the pigmented polymer melt may be metered onto a rotating
substrate 132 that triboelectrically charges pigment particles in
the polymer melt 120 to form ligaments 148 and, finally, form
electrophoretic balls 104.
[0051] The liquid material released from the moving substrate
should not solidify prematurely. In an embodiment, the balls should
solidify soon, and preferably as soon as possible, after formation.
Cooling may be accelerated by the having the balls pass through a
cooling zone accomplished by providing a cooled gas or cooled
surfaces near the edge of the substrate where the droplets are
formed. The temperature may be a gradient to slowly harden the
triboelectrically charged particles at an appropriate location
(desired shape achieved).
[0052] The size the electrophoretic particles may be modified by
changing the diameter of the disk, the disk's rotation rate, the
molecular weight and distribution of the polymer, and/or the
viscosity of the melted polymer when heated. The particle size can
be used to modify the response of the particle to the external
field in an electrophoretic device.
[0053] The size and density of the charged pigment particles
dispersed in the thermoplastic may be used to control the
electrophoretic mobility. The electrophoretic mobility of the
coated charged particles can be on the order of about 10.sup.-4 to
about 10.sup.-6 cm.sup.2 sec.sup.-1V.sup.-1. The thickness of the
coating may be modified to control the buoyancy of the particles.
In one embodiment the triboelectric particles may be suspended in a
dielectric fluid such that the particles do not float or sink in
the fluid.
[0054] The substrate material and surface finish, viscosity of the
melt, and/or pigment type can be varied to modify the contact area
frictional forces and amount of charge transferred during
triboelectric charging. Other variables such as material work
function, back flow of charge and gas breakdown can affect the
amount of charge transferred to the pigment. These variables can be
modified by choice of material and processing conditions like
rotation rate, to tailor the charge transferred between the
substrate and pigment.
[0055] Without wishing to be bound by theory, the charging of the
particles prepared in versions of the present method and materials
may occur for example when the pigmented polymer melt contacts and
moves across the high speed rotating spinning plate. Once the
charged pigmented polymer melt leave the disc, the polymer melt may
form into a droplet which freezes into a sphere or substantially
spherical particle and the triboelectric charge is trapped in the
polymer matrix. The sign and magnitude of the charge of the
electrophoretic particles may be modified by the polymer melt
formulation and omission of additional charge control agents.
[0056] Spherical two-particle electrophoretic display systems may
have better optical bistability than one-particle systems because
in the two-particle systems the electrophoretic particles can fall
from the top electrode and land on top of other particles without
loss of contrast. For example, black particles on white particles
or vice versa. However in one-particle systems, once the particles
fall from the top electrode, the contrast is lost.
[0057] FIG. 4 illustrates a change in the state of a display using
triboelectrically charged particles. The negatively charged white
particles 402 are attracted to the top transparent positive
electrode 404 while positively charged black particles 406 are
attracted to the negative or ground electrode 408 and the image
appears white. When the electric field is changed the positive
black particles 406 are attracted to the negatively charged top
electrode 424 while the negatively charged white triboelectrically
charged particles are attracted to the bottom relatively positively
charged bottom electrode 428 and the image appears black.
[0058] The present imaging particles may provide a solvent-less
single step process to provide a large quantity of small spherical
particles that have a charged pigment particles embedded in the
polymer sphere. The final electrophoretic particle size can be
controlled by different viscosity of pigmented polymer melt and
different rotations per minute of the disc (spinning speed and size
of the disk) The particle charge is built inside the spheres
through tribocharging and an additional charge control additive is
not required.
[0059] The optical performance of the two-particle electrophoretic
devices may be monitored by dynamic reflectivity as shown in FIG.
2, and dynamic current as shown in FIG. 3. In FIG. 2, a square wave
of about +300 volts to about -300 volts may be applied across the
device (A) and the variation in reflectivity against time may be
simultaneously monitored in real time by a densitometer (B). In the
embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the white reflectivity may be as high
as about 28% and the black reflectivity may be about 6%. The
contrast ratio may be about 4.7. The switching time may be less
than about 200 ms. In FIG. 3, a saw-tooth wave form is applied
across the device (A). The variation in reflectivity against
applied voltage is plotted (B). The maximum reflectivity in this
example is attained at about 150 volts. Without wishing to be bound
by theory, this transition may be further sharpened by using more
uniform size particles. In one embodiment the particles used to
form the device have sizes that are within about 10% or less of
each other. In another embodiment the particles used to form the
device have sizes that are within about 5% or less of each
other.
[0060] One embodiment includes fabricating display devices using
capsules. In this embodiment two differently colored or different
achromatic colored and charged ink particles are encapsulated by a
polymeric binder. For example, oppositely charged micron sized
electrophoretic particles, for example from about 1 to about 50
microns, containing tribelectrically charged black or white
pigments in a polymer matrix may be dispersed in a hydrocarbon
solvent. For example ink and capsule preparation may include less
than about 10% by weight of black and less than about 10% of white
electrophoretic particles dispersed in a hydrocarbon based
dielectric fluid like Isopar M.RTM.. The prepared ink may be
encapsulated for example via complex coacervation with
gelatin-polyphosphate, gelatin-gum Arabic, or other suitable
composition. The microcapsules can be cross linked to furnish wet
deformable capsules. The capsules may be wet sieved to obtain the
fraction containing the desired size capsules.
[0061] In coacervation, a continuous shell is formed when a water
soluble polymer is condensed from an aqueous solution. The shell
forms about a nucleus of material which becomes the core. Shells of
this type based on gelatin and gum arabic are well known. "In situ"
polymerization is a second commonly employed technique for
producing microencapsulated beads. A shell formed of a gaseous,
liquid, water or oil soluble monomer or a low molecular weight
polymer is polymerized on the surface of a core material to provide
a polymer film which covers the entire surface of the core
material. Shells based upon urea-formaldehyde are well known. A
variety of materials including homopolymers, copolymers, graft
copolymers and block copolymers may be used to form the shell.
[0062] The term neutrally buoyant refers to the condition where the
buoyant force equals the weight of the particle As noted above, in
various versions of electrophoretic particle compositions, the
encapsulated particles are generally neutrally buoyant with respect
to the liquid dielectric medium. This can be achieved by
selectively mixing the pigment particles and the polymer matrix
according to a selected volumetric ratio so that the density of the
particles is close enough to the density of the dielectric fluid
for the particles to be neutrally buoyant. In one embodiment, the
density of the particles may be equal to, or within about five
percent of, that of the insulating medium. Settling out of the
particles in the display may be greatly reduced or eliminated
during periods of non-use.
[0063] An electrophoretic device may be fabricated using these
capsules, Wet capsules may be filtered through a filter and mixed
with a solution containing a soluble polymer, defoamer, and a
plasticizer for the polymer. A number of different soluble polymer
films can be used. A film may be formed on an indium tin oxide
(ITO) Mylar substrate on the conductive side by spreading the
capsules with a blade of appropriate gap, in such a way to obtain a
monolayer of highly packed capsules. The film may be dried at room
temperature. The capsules may be surrounded by a liquid phase which
has substantially the same composition as the suspending liquid
within the capsules. The spacing between the plates can also be
maintained using spacers. The plates can be sealed to each other
around their peripheries to prevent the liquid external phase from
flowing out of the display. The capsule film may be coated with a
waterbase polyurethane glue or other glue by using a blade and then
dried. The two substrates can be laminated together to provide the
final device which switches between black and white states. The
encapsulated two-particle inking may provide the device with
flexibility and high coverage of active switching media.
[0064] For electrophoretic displays with triboelectrically charged
electrophoretic particles using achromatic colored pigments,
embodiments can have a white reflectivity of about 25% or higher
and a black reflectivity of about 10% or lower. In some embodiments
the white reflectivity may be up to about 60% to about 70%. In
other embodiments the black reflectivity may be from about 1% to
about 2% or less. In one embodiment the contrast ratio may be about
2.5:1 or higher. In another embodiment the contrast ratio may be at
least about 30:1. In another embodiment the contrast ratio may be
at least about 50:1. Embodiments of electrophoretic displays with
triboelectrically charged electrophoretic particles may have a
switching time that is less than about 200 milliseconds, or a
switching time that can be used for video display. In one
embodiment the switching time may be about 50 milliseconds or
higher (switching rate of 20 cycles/second or less).
[0065] For addressable electrodes, one or more capsules per pixel
can be used. The voltage applied to any of the electrodes in the
display can be independently controlled using an active matrix
driver.
[0066] As illustrated in FIG. 5 the front electrode 528 is
negatively charged relative to the rear electrode 512 which is at
ground 508. The coated triboelectrically charged electrophoretic
black particles 540 are held electrostatically adjacent the front
electrode 528 with outer surface 524, while the negatively charged
coated triboelectrically charge white particles 548 are held
electrostatically against the rear electrode 512 with surface 516.
Accordingly, an observer viewing the display through the front
plate sees a black pixel, since the black particles 540 are visible
and hide the white particles.
[0067] In the display the front electrode is separated from the
rear electrode by spacers 544. The electrode 532 is connected to a
power supply 504 and electrode 520 may be connected to ground.
Transparent protective layers 536 and 552 may be applied to the
electrodes to chemically protect them.
[0068] Various aspects of the present invention will be illustrated
with reference to the following non-limiting examples.
EXAMPLE 1
[0069] This example illustrates the preparation of
triboelectrically charged particles in a thermoplastic using a
moving substrate to charge the pigment particles.
[0070] White pigmented wax-30 grams of TiO.sub.2 (R104 from DuPont)
is dispersed in 70 g of Polywax 1000 at 130.degree. C. by an IKA
T-25 homogenized for 1 hour. Black pigmented wax-20 grams of black
pigment (Ferro 6331), 3 grams of X5175 (Baker Petrolite) is
dispersed in 77 g of Polywax 1000 at 130.degree. C. by an IQA T-25
homogenizer for 1 hour.
[0071] The pigmented wax is melted and kept in the reservoir at
130-150.degree. C. as illustrated in FIG. 1. The metal disc is spun
at 5900-6000 rpm although other speeds are possible. The shroud and
nozzle temperature are set at 150.degree. C. and 130.degree. C.
respectively. The particles are collected and sieved through a 75
micron screen, then equal amounts of black and white particles are
suspended in silicone 200 fluid (1 centistoke, Dow Corning silicone
oils). A drop of suspension is sandwiched between two ITO plates,
spacing about 300 microns, and the switching voltage is about
.+-.(100-300) volts.
EXAMPLE 2
[0072] This example illustrates the fabrication of an
electrophoretic display that incorporates capsules with one or more
coated triboelectrically charged pigment particles.
[0073] One embodiment includes fabricating devices by using
encapsulated 2-particle ink into a polymeric binder. Micron sized
electrophoretic particles black and white, prepared as described in
Example 15 are dispersed in a hydrocarbon solvent like Isopar Mt.
For example ink and capsule preparation includes 5 grams of a black
and 5 grams of a white ink prepared as described is dispersed in 35
g of Isopar M.RTM.. The prepared ink is encapsulated via complex
coacervation with gelatin-polyphosphate or gelatin-gum Arabic. The
microcapsules are cross linked with gluteraldehyde to furnish wet
deformable capsules. The capsules are wet sieved to obtain the
desired fraction containing capsules of 212 to 180 micron size.
[0074] A device can be fabricated using the capsules. For example,
6 grams of wet capsules are filtered through a paper filter and
then they are mixed with a solution containing 0.5 ml of PVA 30%, 3
drops of 1-octanol (defoamer) and 75 milligrams of glycerol
(plasticized for PVA). A film was formed on an ITO/Mylar substrate
(5 mils thick; about 0.0125 cm), on the conductive side by
spreading the capsules with a blade of appropriate gap, in such a
way to obtain a monolayer of highly packed capsules. The film is
dried at room temperature overnight. The capsules deform during the
dewatering process. The film is coated with NeoRez (waterbase
polyurethane glue) by using a blade, then dried for one hour at
60.degree. C. The two substrates are laminated together to provide
the final device which switches between black and white states. The
encapsulated two-particle ink provides the device with flexibility
and high coverage of active switching media.
[0075] Although the disclosure has provided considerable detail
with reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, other
versions are possible. Therefore the spirit and scope of the
appended claims should not be limited to the description and the
preferred versions contain within this specification.
* * * * *