Preparation and packaging method of solvent-resistant electronic paper micro-cup
By treating templates with perfluoroalkylchlorosilanes and using photocuring and nanoimprinting technologies, problems such as uneven wall thickness and easy air leakage during the preparation of microcup electronic paper have been solved, achieving efficient and low-cost microcup preparation and packaging, suitable for applications in special environments.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- GUANGZHOU OED TECH INC
- Filing Date
- 2025-11-26
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-19
AI Technical Summary
The existing technology for preparing microcup electronic paper has problems such as poor wall thickness uniformity, high template surface energy leading to difficulty in demolding, easy air leakage during encapsulation, complex production process and high cost, and insufficient solvent resistance, which limits its application in special environments.
The template is treated with perfluoroalkyl chlorosilane to reduce surface energy. Combined with photocuring and nanoimprinting technology, the coating thickness of the microcup layer and the thickness of the encapsulation film are controlled. Inexpensive and readily available equipment is used for encapsulation to ensure uniform microcup wall thickness and encapsulation effect.
The process achieves uniform microcup wall thickness, good encapsulation effect, simple equipment, and low cost. The template can be used multiple times, the electronic paper does not swell significantly in organic solvents, has high mechanical strength, and is suitable for industrial production.
Smart Images
Figure CN122239342A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to the field of electronic paper display technology, specifically to the preparation and encapsulation method of a solvent-resistant electronic paper microcup. Background Technology
[0002] Electronic paper display technology, as a low-power, eye-friendly display method, has been widely used in e-readers, electronic tags, and other fields. Among them, microcup electronic paper has become an important development direction for electronic paper technology due to its stable structure and good display effect. Microcup electronic paper is usually composed of a microcup array, electrophoretic ink, and an encapsulation layer. The fabrication and encapsulation of the microcup structure are the key factors that determine the display effect and lifespan.
[0003] Currently, the main methods for preparing microcup-shaped electronic paper include photolithography and nanoimprint lithography. CN118562383B discloses a fast-response composition for microcup-shaped electrophoretic electronic paper and a method for processing electronic paper. This method involves coating a composition consisting of photocurable polyurethane resin, an initiator, and an active diluent onto a conductive coating, then imprinting it with a silicon mold and photocuring it to obtain electronic paper, thereby improving the refresh rate of the electronic paper. CN119395918A proposes a microcup device mask, an electronic paper screen, and a method for manufacturing the same. This method is based on a composite manufacturing method combining nanoimprint lithography and contact lithography, as well as a roll-to-roll encapsulation method, realizing the manufacturing and encapsulation of the microcup structure required for electronic paper screens.
[0004] In the field of microcup packaging, CN115167056A discloses a microcup display unit with self-healing function and its packaging method. By forming strong and weak hydrogen bonds, disulfide bonds and other dynamic non-covalent bonds and dynamic covalent bonds with self-healing function between the microcup and the packaging layer, the microcup display unit can repair itself after being subjected to external impact, avoiding the problem of display effect degradation caused by electronic ink leakage.
[0005] Regarding template processing technology, CN109634055A proposes a method for preparing low surface energy nickel nanoimprint templates. This method uses perfluoroalkylchlorosilane for anti-sticking treatment, resulting in lower template surface energy, easier demolding, higher hardness, better mechanical properties, and longer service life. CN101441381B introduces a method for preparing solvent-resistant electronic paper microcups and the materials used to prepare them. This method achieves flexible display and solvent resistance in strongly dissolving or swelling solvents through specific material formulations.
[0006] However, existing technologies still face numerous challenges in the fabrication and encapsulation of microcup electronic paper: First, in traditional microcup fabrication processes, the wall thickness uniformity is poor, affecting display performance and stability; second, the high surface energy of the imprinting template makes demolding difficult, leading to inefficient separation of the colloid from the template and a short template lifespan; third, air leakage is prone to occur during encapsulation, affecting the encapsulation effect; fourth, existing fabrication processes are generally complex, low in precision, and high in cost, making large-scale industrial applications difficult. Particularly concerning solvent resistance, existing technologies struggle to simultaneously achieve precise control of the microcup structure and the material's solvent resistance, limiting the application of microcup electronic paper in special environments.
[0007] Furthermore, the problem of template reuse in the microcup fabrication process has not been effectively solved in existing technologies. Each fabrication requires reprocessing or replacing the template, increasing production costs and environmental burden. Simultaneously, improper temperature control during the oil phase filling process can also lead to poor encapsulation results, affecting product quality and lifespan. Summary of the Invention
[0008] To address the problems of poor wall thickness uniformity and easy air leakage during the packaging process in current electronic paper microcup preparation and packaging methods, and to achieve the technical effects of uniform microcup wall thickness, good packaging effect, simple equipment, high precision, and low cost, this invention provides a method for preparing and packaging solvent-resistant electronic paper microcups.
[0009] The technical solution adopted by this invention to solve its technical problem is as follows: A method for preparing and encapsulating a solvent-resistant electronic paper microcup includes the following steps: substrate pretreatment, microcup layer fabrication, template treatment, curing, demolding, oil phase filling, and sealing. The template treatment uses perfluoroalkyl chlorosilane for anti-sticking treatment to extend template life and enable multiple uses. The microcup layer coating thickness is 20–100 μm to ensure uniform microcup wall thickness. The oil phase filling temperature is -25–40°C. The sealing uses a thin film with a thickness of 10–50 μm, which is cured by heating and pressing to achieve simple and effective encapsulation.
[0010] In one embodiment, the substrate pretreatment involves cleaning and drying a rigid or flexible substrate in one or more of the following solutions with a concentration of 0.1–10 wt%: an aqueous solution of sodium carbonate, an aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide, deionized water, acetone, or ethanol, to obtain a substrate with a clean surface.
[0011] In one embodiment, the microcup layer is fabricated by coating a commercial nanoimprint adhesive onto a clean substrate surface using methods such as blade coating, dip coating, spray coating, or spin coating. The nanoimprint adhesive is one or more of acrylic or epoxy resin materials to ensure that the microcup material does not swell significantly in organic alkanes and has high mechanical strength.
[0012] Preferably, the template treatment involves first blowing off surface particles from a nickel or silicon template with a nanostructure using nitrogen, then placing it in a 5wt% perfluoroalkyl chlorosilane toluene solution for 10 minutes to wet the surface, and finally drying it in an oven at 60-80°C for 30 minutes to achieve a low surface energy anti-sticking effect.
[0013] Preferably, the curing process involves pressing the treated template vertically onto the surface of the coated adhesive and exposing it to a 20J UV curing lamp or mercury lamp for 2 minutes to allow the adhesive to fully cure and form a microcup array that is complementary to the template.
[0014] Preferably, the demolding process involves separating the adhesive-coated substrate from the template to obtain electronic paper microcup with uniform wall thickness. This demolding process utilizes anti-sticking treatment to improve efficiency, avoid adhesive residue, and extend the template's service life.
[0015] Preferably, the oil phase filling involves injecting a solution or suspension of commercial or modified pigments and dyes mixed in any proportion into the microcup array. The injection method is scraping, dipping, spraying, or spin coating, and the process is carried out at a temperature of -25 to 40°C to prevent air leakage and improve the encapsulation effect.
[0016] Preferably, the sealing involves covering the surface of a microcup containing an oil phase with a polymer film of 10–50 μm thickness, softening it under a rolling mill at 60°C, curing it by irradiation with 365 nm wavelength and 20 W ultraviolet light for 3 minutes, and then removing the release film to obtain the display window, ensuring simple and effective encapsulation.
[0017] Preferably, the substrate is one of glass, indium tin oxide, polyethylene terephthalate, polyvinyl chloride, or polycarbonate, supporting rigid or flexible applications.
[0018] Preferably, the template material is one of metal, wafer silicon, polyester, or organosilicon, and the pattern is a geometric shape such as triangle, square, mesh, or hexagon to ensure high precision of the microcup structure.
[0019] Preferably, the method combines photopolymerization, nanoimprinting, and low-surface-release technology, using inexpensive and readily available materials and equipment, such as ultraviolet lamps or mercury lamps, to achieve a simple, high-precision, and low-cost preparation process.
[0020] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: By combining photocuring, nanoimprinting, and low-surface-release technology, the problems of poor wall thickness uniformity and easy air leakage during the encapsulation process in traditional electronic paper microcup preparation are solved. This invention uses perfluoroalkylchlorosilane to treat the template surface, significantly reducing the template surface energy, enabling efficient peeling of the colloid from the template, extending the template's lifespan, and allowing for multiple reuses. By controlling the microcup layer coating thickness within the range of 20–100 μm, the uniformity of the microcup wall thickness is ensured. Encapsulation is performed using a thin film with a thickness of 10–50 μm, and a good encapsulation effect is achieved through simple processes such as heating, pressing, and curing, effectively preventing air leakage. Furthermore, the equipment used in this invention is inexpensive and readily available; common light sources such as ultraviolet lamps and mercury lamps can be used in the curing process. The entire process is simple, precise, and low-cost, and the prepared electronic paper microcup material does not swell significantly in organic alkanes, exhibiting high mechanical strength, making it suitable for industrial production applications. Attached Figure Description
[0021] Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating the fabrication process of the microcup electronic paper of the present invention; wherein, 1-substrate; 2-photoresist; 3-release agent; 4-microcup template; 5-microcup; 6-oil phase; 7-encapsulation film. Figure 2 This is the structure on the microcup template under a microscope according to the present invention.
[0022] Figure 3 The microcup sheet prepared according to the present invention.
[0023] Figure 4 This is a microscopic view of the structure of the microcup sheet according to the present invention.
[0024] Figure 5 This is a microscopic structural diagram of the microcup encapsulation layer of the present invention. Detailed Implementation
[0025] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.
[0026] A method for preparing and encapsulating a solvent-resistant electronic paper microcup includes the following steps: Step 1: Substrate Pretreatment A rigid or flexible substrate is cleaned and dried in one or more of the following solutions with a concentration of 0.1–10 wt%: sodium carbonate aqueous solution, sodium hydroxide aqueous solution, deionized water, acetone, or ethanol, to obtain a clean substrate. The substrate can be selected from glass, indium tin oxide, polyethylene terephthalate, polyvinyl chloride, or polycarbonate, suitable for both rigid and flexible applications. In a preferred embodiment, polyethylene terephthalate is used as the flexible substrate. It is first cleaned with a 5 wt% sodium carbonate aqueous solution for 5 minutes, then rinsed twice with deionized water, and finally wiped with ethanol and dried at 60°C for 10 minutes to obtain a clean substrate.
[0027] Step 2: Microcup Layer Creation A commercial nanoimprinting adhesive is coated onto a clean substrate using methods such as blade coating, dip coating, spray coating, or spin coating. The coating thickness ranges from 20 to 100 μm, ensuring uniform wall thickness of the microcup. The nanoimprinting adhesive is selected from one or more of acrylic or epoxy resin materials to ensure that the microcup material does not swell significantly in organic alkanes and possesses high mechanical strength. In a preferred embodiment, an acrylic nanoimprinting adhesive is used, and a 50 μm thick adhesive layer is uniformly coated onto the substrate using a blade coating method. This thickness ensures that the formed microcup structure has sufficient mechanical strength and uniform wall thickness.
[0028] Step 3: Template Processing For nickel or silicon templates with nanostructures, surface particles are first removed by nitrogen blowing, then the surface is immersed in a 5 wt% perfluoroalkylchlorosilane toluene solution for 10 minutes to wet the surface, and then dried in an oven at 60-80℃ for 30 minutes to achieve a low surface energy anti-sticking effect. The template material can be one of metal, wafer silicon, polyester, or organosilicon, with patterns in geometric shapes such as triangles, squares, meshes, or hexagons to ensure high precision of the microcup structure. In a preferred embodiment, a nickel template with a hexagonal array structure is used. After treatment with perfluoroalkylchlorosilane, the surface energy of the template is significantly reduced, which is beneficial for the subsequent demolding process.
[0029] Step 4: Curing The treated template is vertically pressed onto the surface of the adhesive coating and exposed to a 20J UV curing lamp or mercury lamp for 2 minutes to allow the adhesive to fully cure and form a microcup array complementary to the template. In a preferred embodiment, a 365nm UV lamp with a power of 20J is used to vertically press the template and the adhesive-coated substrate together at room temperature and expose for 2 minutes to allow the adhesive to fully crosslink and cure, forming a clearly structured microcup array.
[0030] Step 5: Demolding Separating the adhesive-coated substrate from the template yields electronic paper microcuplets with uniform wall thickness. This demolding process utilizes an anti-sticking treatment to improve efficiency, avoid adhesive residue, and extend the template's lifespan. In a preferred embodiment, because the template has undergone a perfluoroalkyl chlorosilane anti-sticking treatment, demolding only requires gently lifting a corner of the template and then slowly and evenly separating the template from the cured microcup layer. No additional release agent is needed, and there is no adhesive residue on the template surface, allowing it to be directly used for the next imprinting.
[0031] Step Six: Oil Phase Filling A solution or suspension of commercially available or modified pigments and dyes, mixed in any proportion, is injected into the microcup array via methods such as blade coating, dipping, spraying, or spin coating, and performed at a temperature of -25 to 40°C to prevent leakage and improve encapsulation performance. In a preferred embodiment, white titanium dioxide pigment and black carbon powder are mixed in a hydrocarbon solvent at a ratio of 3:1 to form a suspension. The oil phase is then filled into the microcup array by blade coating at 10°C. The low temperature helps reduce the solvent evaporation rate and ensures uniform filling of the oil phase.
[0032] Step 7: Seal A polymer film with a thickness of 10–50 μm is coated onto the surface of a microcup containing an oil phase. After softening by pressing under a 60°C roller, it is cured by irradiation with 365 nm wavelength and 20 W ultraviolet light for 3 minutes. The release film is then removed to obtain the display window, ensuring simple encapsulation and good performance. In a preferred embodiment, a 30 μm thick UV-curable polymer film is used to cover the surface of the microcup array filled with the oil phase. After pressing with a heated roller at 60°C, it is immediately cured by irradiation with ultraviolet light for 3 minutes, resulting in a well-sealed electronic paper display unit.
[0033] The preparation and encapsulation method of this solvent-resistant electronic paper microcup combines photopolymerization, nanoimprinting, and low-surface-area demolding technology. It utilizes inexpensive and readily available materials and equipment, such as UV lamps or mercury lamps, to achieve a simple, high-precision, and low-cost preparation process. The prepared microcup electronic paper features readily available and inexpensive materials, simple equipment, reusable templates, high solvent resistance and mechanical strength, uniform wall thickness, and good encapsulation effect, overcoming the shortcomings of uneven wall thickness and difficult demolding in existing technologies.
[0034] Efficacy Verification: The prepared electronic paper samples were immersed in different solvent environments for 72 hours, including common organic solvents such as n-hexane, toluene, and ethanol. The test results showed that the microcup structure did not exhibit significant swelling or deformation, maintaining its original shape and size. Through cyclic bending tests (bending radius 5mm, 1000 cycles), the sample showed no significant performance degradation, proving its excellent mechanical strength and flexibility. Furthermore, the template, after anti-sticking treatment, can be used more than 50 times without reprocessing, significantly improving production efficiency and reducing costs. The sealed electronic paper operates stably within a temperature range of -20℃ to 80℃, with no oil phase leakage, maintaining a contrast ratio above 10:1, and a response time of less than 300ms, meeting the basic requirements for electronic paper displays. Example
[0035] The glass or polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate 1 was sequentially immersed in a 1wt% sodium hydroxide aqueous solution, toluene, and ethanol, and sonicated at a frequency of 40 Hz for 10 minutes at room temperature. It was then rinsed three times with ethanol and dried.
[0036] Solvent-resistant electronic paper microcup adhesive material 2: TB3027G, TB3024 (acrylic acid) (Sanken Corporation, Japan); DM-6658, DM-6694-C2, DM-6689 (acrylic acid) (Dyprom Materials Corporation); 3121D (epoxy resin) (Sanken Corporation, Japan), GN5015 (epoxy resin) (Yungkuan Corporation, Taiwan), PL-01500P (epoxy resin) (Pullin Technology Corporation) or a mixture thereof.
[0037] Apply a layer of electronic paper microcup adhesive material 2 to a glass or polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate 1 using a 100μm blade coater.
[0038] The nickel or silicon template 1 with nanostructure is surface-treated with nitrogen (N2) to blow away particles or dust on the template surface for 60 seconds to keep the template surface clean. Then, the nickel or silicon template 1 is placed in a desiccator and a certain amount of perfluoroalkyl chlorosilane toluene solvent with a concentration of 5 wt% is added to the desiccator. It is left to stand for 10 minutes to wet the surface of the nickel or silicon template 1. The nickel or silicon template is then removed and dried in an oven at 60-80℃ for 30 minutes.
[0039] The nickel or silicon template 1 obtained in the above steps is vertically pressed onto the electronic paper microcup adhesive material 2 coated on the glass or polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate 1. After the electronic paper microcup adhesive material 2 completely fills the nickel or silicon template 1, it is then exposed to ultraviolet light for 10 minutes to cure the electronic paper microcup adhesive material 2. The substrate can be, but is not limited to, glass, polyester (PET), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polycarbonate (PC), etc.
[0040] After demolding and removing the nickel or silicon template, an electronic paper microcup array that is complementary to the structure of the nickel or silicon template is obtained.
[0041] Oil phase solutions or suspensions are coated onto electronic paper microcup arrays by a blade coating method.
[0042] Then, take a certain area of finished adhesive film with uniform thickness, the film thickness is 25-50μm; peel off the protective film on one side of the adhesive film, cover it on the surface of the electronic paper microcup array containing the oil phase, squeeze it under a 60℃ rolling cylinder to soften the adhesive film, so that the adhesive film can effectively adhere to the electronic paper microcup array, and then irradiate it under ultraviolet light with a wavelength of 365nm and a power of 20W for 3 minutes to cure it into a film. Remove the protective film on the other side to obtain the encapsulated microcup display window.
[0043] The driving circuit is bonded together with the encapsulated electronic paper microcup to complete the assembly of the entire device. Example
[0044] The glass or polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate 1 was sequentially immersed in a 1wt% sodium hydroxide aqueous solution, toluene, and ethanol, and sonicated at a frequency of 40 Hz for 10 minutes at room temperature. It was then rinsed three times with ethanol and dried.
[0045] Solvent-resistant electronic paper microcup adhesive material 2: TB3027G, TB3024 (acrylic acid) (Sanken Corporation, Japan); DM-6658, DM-6694-C2, DM-6689 (acrylic acid) (Dyprom Materials Corporation); 3121D (epoxy resin) (Sanken Corporation, Japan), GN5015 (epoxy resin) (Yungkuan Corporation, Taiwan), PL-01500P (epoxy resin) (Pullin Technology Corporation) or a mixture thereof.
[0046] Apply a layer of electronic paper microcup adhesive material 2 to a glass or polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate 1 using a 75μm blade coater.
[0047] The nickel or silicon template 1 with nanostructure is surface-treated with nitrogen (N2) to blow away particles or dust on the template surface for 60 seconds to keep the template surface clean. Then, the nickel or silicon template 1 is placed in a desiccator and a certain amount of perfluoroalkyl chlorosilane toluene solvent with a concentration of 5 wt% is added to the desiccator. It is left to stand for 10 minutes to wet the surface of the nickel or silicon template 1. The nickel or silicon template is then removed and dried in an oven at 60-80℃ for 30 minutes.
[0048] The nickel or silicon template 1 obtained in the above steps is vertically pressed onto the electronic paper microcup adhesive material 2 coated on the glass or polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate 1. After the electronic paper microcup adhesive material 2 completely fills the nickel or silicon template 1, it is then exposed to ultraviolet light for 10 minutes to cure the electronic paper microcup adhesive material 2. The substrate can be, but is not limited to, glass, polyester (PET), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polycarbonate (PC), etc.
[0049] After demolding and removing the nickel or silicon template, an electronic paper microcup array that is complementary to the structure of the nickel or silicon template is obtained.
[0050] Oil phase solutions or suspensions are coated onto electronic paper microcup arrays by a blade coating method.
[0051] Then, take a certain area of finished adhesive film with uniform thickness, the film thickness is 25-50μm; peel off the protective film on one side of the adhesive film, cover it on the surface of the electronic paper microcup array containing the oil phase, squeeze it under a 60℃ rolling cylinder to soften the adhesive film, so that the adhesive film can effectively adhere to the electronic paper microcup array, and then irradiate it under ultraviolet light with a wavelength of 365nm and a power of 20W for 3 minutes to cure it into a film. Remove the protective film on the other side to obtain the encapsulated microcup display window.
[0052] The driving circuit is bonded together with the encapsulated electronic paper microcup to complete the assembly of the entire device. Example
[0053] The glass or polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate 1 was sequentially immersed in a 1wt% sodium hydroxide aqueous solution, toluene, and ethanol, and sonicated at a frequency of 40 Hz for 10 minutes at room temperature. It was then rinsed three times with ethanol and dried.
[0054] Solvent-resistant electronic paper microcup adhesive material 2: TB3027G, TB3024 (acrylic acid) (Sanken Corporation, Japan); DM-6658, DM-6694-C2, DM-6689 (acrylic acid) (Dyprom Materials Corporation); 3121D (epoxy resin) (Sanken Corporation, Japan), GN5015 (epoxy resin) (Yungkuan Corporation, Taiwan), PL-01500P (epoxy resin) (Pullin Technology Corporation) or a mixture thereof.
[0055] Apply a layer of electronic paper microcup adhesive material 2 to a glass or polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate 1 using a 50 μm blade coater.
[0056] The nickel or silicon template 1 with nanostructure is surface-treated with nitrogen (N2) to blow away particles or dust on the template surface for 60 seconds to keep the template surface clean. Then, the nickel or silicon template 1 is placed in a desiccator and a certain amount of perfluoroalkyl chlorosilane toluene solvent with a concentration of 5 wt% is added to the desiccator. It is left to stand for 10 minutes to wet the surface of the nickel or silicon template 1. The nickel or silicon template is then removed and dried in an oven at 60-80℃ for 30 minutes.
[0057] The nickel or silicon template 1 obtained in the above steps is vertically pressed onto the electronic paper microcup adhesive material 2 coated on the glass or polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate 1. After the electronic paper microcup adhesive material 2 completely fills the nickel or silicon template 1, it is then exposed to ultraviolet light for 10 minutes to cure the electronic paper microcup adhesive material 2. The substrate can be, but is not limited to, glass, polyester (PET), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polycarbonate (PC), etc.
[0058] After demolding and removing the nickel or silicon template, an electronic paper microcup array that is complementary to the structure of the nickel or silicon template is obtained.
[0059] Oil phase solutions or suspensions are coated onto electronic paper microcup arrays by a blade coating method.
[0060] Then, take a certain area of finished adhesive film with uniform thickness, the film thickness is 25-50μm; peel off the protective film on one side of the adhesive film, cover it on the surface of the electronic paper microcup array containing the oil phase, squeeze it under a 60℃ rolling cylinder to soften the adhesive film, so that the adhesive film can effectively adhere to the electronic paper microcup array, and then irradiate it under ultraviolet light with a wavelength of 365nm and a power of 20W for 3 minutes to cure it into a film. Remove the protective film on the other side to obtain the encapsulated microcup display window.
[0061] The driving circuit is bonded together with the encapsulated electronic paper microcup to complete the assembly of the entire device. Example
[0062] The glass or polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate 1 was sequentially immersed in a 1wt% sodium hydroxide aqueous solution, toluene, and ethanol, and sonicated at a frequency of 40 Hz for 10 minutes at room temperature. It was then rinsed three times with ethanol and dried.
[0063] Solvent-resistant electronic paper microcup adhesive material 2: TB3027G, TB3024 (acrylic acid) (Sanken Corporation, Japan); DM-6658, DM-6694-C2, DM-6689 (acrylic acid) (Dyprom Materials Corporation); TB3121D (epoxy resin) (Sanken Corporation, Japan), GN5015 (epoxy resin) (Yungkuan Corporation, Taiwan), PL-01500P (epoxy resin) (Pullin Technology Corporation) or a mixture thereof.
[0064] Apply a layer of electronic paper microcup adhesive material 2 to a glass or polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate 1 using a 25μm blade coater.
[0065] The nickel or silicon template 1 with nanostructure is surface-treated with nitrogen (N2) to blow away particles or dust on the template surface for 60 seconds to keep the template surface clean. Then, the nickel or silicon template 1 is placed in a desiccator and a certain amount of perfluoroalkyl chlorosilane toluene solvent with a concentration of 5 wt% is added to the desiccator. It is left to stand for 10 minutes to wet the surface of the nickel or silicon template 1. The nickel or silicon template is then removed and dried in an oven at 60-80℃ for 30 minutes.
[0066] The nickel or silicon template 1 obtained in the above steps is vertically pressed onto the electronic paper microcup adhesive material 2 coated on the glass or polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate 1. After the electronic paper microcup adhesive material 2 completely fills the nickel or silicon template 1, it is then exposed to ultraviolet light for 10 minutes to cure the electronic paper microcup adhesive material 2. The substrate can be, but is not limited to, glass, polyester (PET), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polycarbonate (PC), etc.
[0067] After demolding and removing the nickel or silicon template, an electronic paper microcup array that is complementary to the structure of the nickel or silicon template is obtained.
[0068] Oil phase solutions or suspensions are coated onto electronic paper microcup arrays by a blade coating method.
[0069] Then, take a certain area of finished adhesive film with uniform thickness, the film thickness is 25-50μm; peel off the protective film on one side of the adhesive film, cover it on the surface of the electronic paper microcup array containing the oil phase, squeeze it under a 60℃ rolling cylinder to soften the adhesive film, so that the adhesive film can effectively adhere to the electronic paper microcup array, and then irradiate it under ultraviolet light with a wavelength of 365nm and a power of 20W for 3 minutes to cure it into a film. Remove the protective film on the other side to obtain the encapsulated microcup display window.
[0070] The driving circuit is bonded together with the encapsulated electronic paper microcup to complete the assembly of the entire device. Example
[0071] The glass or polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate 1 was sequentially immersed in a 1wt% sodium hydroxide aqueous solution, toluene, and ethanol, and sonicated at a frequency of 40 Hz for 10 minutes at room temperature. It was then rinsed three times with ethanol and dried.
[0072] Solvent-resistant electronic paper microcup adhesive material 2: TB3027G, TB3024 (acrylic acid) (Sanken Corporation, Japan); DM-6658, DM-6694-C2, DM-6689 (acrylic acid) (Dyprom Materials Corporation); 3121D (epoxy resin) (Sanken Corporation, Japan), GN5015 (epoxy resin) (Yungkuan Corporation, Taiwan), PL-01500P (epoxy resin) (Pullin Technology Corporation) or a mixture thereof.
[0073] Apply a layer of electronic paper microcup adhesive material 2 to a glass or polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate 1 using a 20μm blade coater.
[0074] The nickel or silicon template 1 with nanostructure is surface-treated with nitrogen (N2) to blow away particles or dust on the template surface for 60 seconds to keep the template surface clean. Then, the nickel or silicon template 1 is placed in a desiccator and a certain amount of perfluoroalkyl chlorosilane toluene solvent with a concentration of 5 wt% is added to the desiccator. It is left to stand for 10 minutes to wet the surface of the nickel or silicon template 1. The nickel or silicon template is then removed and dried in an oven at 60-80℃ for 30 minutes.
[0075] The nickel or silicon template 1 obtained in the above steps is vertically pressed onto the electronic paper microcup adhesive material 2 coated on the glass or polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate 1. After the electronic paper microcup adhesive material 2 completely fills the nickel or silicon template 1, it is then exposed to ultraviolet light for 10 minutes to cure the electronic paper microcup adhesive material 2. The substrate can be, but is not limited to, glass, polyester (PET), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polycarbonate (PC), etc.
[0076] After demolding and removing the nickel or silicon template, an electronic paper microcup array that is complementary to the structure of the nickel or silicon template is obtained.
[0077] Oil phase solutions or suspensions are coated onto electronic paper microcup arrays by a blade coating method.
[0078] Then, take a certain area of finished adhesive film with uniform thickness, the film thickness is 25-50μm; peel off the protective film on one side of the adhesive film, cover it on the surface of the electronic paper microcup array containing the oil phase, squeeze it under a 60℃ rolling cylinder to soften the adhesive film, so that the adhesive film can effectively adhere to the electronic paper microcup array, and then irradiate it under ultraviolet light with a wavelength of 365nm and a power of 20W for 3 minutes to cure it into a film. Remove the protective film on the other side to obtain the encapsulated microcup display window.
[0079] The driving circuit is bonded together with the encapsulated electronic paper microcup to complete the assembly of the entire device. Example
[0080] The glass or polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate 1 was sequentially immersed in a 1wt% sodium hydroxide aqueous solution, toluene, and ethanol, and sonicated at a frequency of 40 Hz for 10 minutes at room temperature. It was then rinsed three times with ethanol and dried.
[0081] Solvent-resistant electronic paper microcup adhesive material 2: TB3027G, TB3024 (acrylic acid) (Sanken Corporation, Japan); DM-6658, DM-6694-C2, DM-6689 (acrylic acid) (Dyprom Materials Corporation); 3121D (epoxy resin) (Sanken Corporation, Japan), GN5015 (epoxy resin) (Yungkuan Corporation, Taiwan), PL-01500P (epoxy resin) (Pullin Technology Corporation) or a mixture thereof.
[0082] Apply a layer of electronic paper microcup adhesive material 2 to a glass or polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate 1 using a 50 μm blade coater.
[0083] The nickel or silicon template 1 with nanostructure is surface-treated with nitrogen (N2) to blow away particles or dust on the template surface for 60 seconds to keep the template surface clean. Then, the nickel or silicon template 1 is placed in a desiccator and a certain amount of perfluoroalkyl chlorosilane toluene solvent with a concentration of 5 wt% is added to the desiccator. It is left to stand for 10 minutes to wet the surface of the nickel or silicon template 1. The nickel or silicon template is then removed and dried in an oven at 60-80℃ for 30 minutes.
[0084] The nickel or silicon template 1 obtained in the above steps is vertically pressed onto the electronic paper microcup adhesive material 2 coated on the glass or polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate 1. After the electronic paper microcup adhesive material 2 completely fills the nickel or silicon template 1, it is then exposed to ultraviolet light for 10 minutes to cure the electronic paper microcup adhesive material 2. The substrate can be, but is not limited to, glass, polyester (PET), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polycarbonate (PC), etc.
[0085] After demolding and removing the nickel or silicon template, an electronic paper microcup array that is complementary to the structure of the nickel or silicon template is obtained.
[0086] Oil phase solutions or suspensions are coated onto electronic paper microcup arrays by a blade coating method.
[0087] Then, take a certain area of finished adhesive film with uniform thickness, the film thickness is 10-20μm; peel off the protective film on one side of the adhesive film, cover it on the surface of the electronic paper microcup array containing the oil phase, squeeze it under a 60℃ rolling cylinder to soften the adhesive film, so that the adhesive film can effectively adhere to the electronic paper microcup array, and then irradiate it under ultraviolet light with a wavelength of 365nm and a power of 20W for 3 minutes to cure it into a film. Remove the protective film on the other side to obtain the encapsulated microcup display window.
[0088] The driving circuit is bonded together with the encapsulated electronic paper microcup to complete the assembly of the entire device.
[0089] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. It is understood that other improvements and variations that are directly derived or conceived by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and concept of the present invention should be considered to be included within the protection scope of the present invention.
Claims
1. A method for preparing and encapsulating a solvent-resistant electronic paper microcup, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: The process includes substrate pretreatment, microcup layer fabrication, template treatment, curing, demolding, oil phase filling, and sealing. The template treatment uses perfluoroalkyl chlorosilane for anti-sticking treatment to extend template life and enable multiple uses. The microcup layer coating thickness is 20–100 μm to ensure uniform microcup wall thickness. The oil phase filling temperature is -25–40°C. The sealing uses a 10–50 μm thick film, which is cured by heating and pressing to achieve simple and effective encapsulation.
2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The substrate pretreatment involves cleaning and drying a rigid or flexible substrate in one or more of the following solutions with a concentration of 0.1–10 wt%: sodium carbonate aqueous solution, sodium hydroxide aqueous solution, deionized water, acetone, or ethanol, to obtain a substrate with a clean surface.
3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The microcup layer is fabricated by coating a commercial nanoimprint adhesive onto a clean substrate surface. The coating method is scraping, dipping, spraying, or spin coating. The nanoimprint adhesive is one or more of acrylic or epoxy resin materials to ensure that the microcup material does not swell significantly in organic alkanes and has high mechanical strength.
4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The template treatment involves first blowing off surface particles from a nickel or silicon template with a nanostructure using nitrogen, then placing it in a 5wt% perfluoroalkyl chlorosilane toluene solution for 10 minutes to wet the surface, and finally drying it in an oven at 60-80℃ for 30 minutes to achieve a low surface energy anti-sticking effect.
5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The curing process involves vertically pressing the treated template onto the surface of the coated adhesive and exposing it to a 20J UV curing lamp or mercury lamp for 2 minutes to allow the adhesive to fully cure and form a microcup array that complements the template.
6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The demolding process involves separating the adhesive-coated substrate from the template to obtain electronic paper microcup with uniform wall thickness. This demolding process utilizes anti-sticking treatment to improve efficiency, avoid adhesive residue, and extend the template's service life.
7. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The oil phase filling involves injecting a solution or suspension of commercial or modified pigments and dyes mixed in any proportion into the microcup array. The injection method can be scraping, dipping, spraying, or spin coating, and the process is carried out at a temperature of -25 to 40°C to prevent air leakage and improve the encapsulation effect.
8. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sealing process involves covering the surface of a microcup containing an oil phase with a polymer film of 10–50 μm thickness, softening it under a rolling mill at 60°C, curing it by irradiation with 365 nm wavelength and 20 W ultraviolet light for 3 minutes, and then removing the release film to obtain the display window. This process ensures simple and effective encapsulation.
9. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The substrate is one of glass, indium tin oxide, polyethylene terephthalate, polyvinyl chloride, or polycarbonate, supporting rigid or flexible applications.
10. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The template material is one of metal, wafer silicon, polyester, or organosilicon, and the pattern is a triangular, square, mesh, or hexagonal geometric shape to ensure high precision of the microcup structure.