Closed-cell metal oxide particles preventing media infiltration
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional pigments and dyes rely on chemical structure for color, whereas structural colorants, like those found in nature, utilize physical structure for color effects, but media infiltration into their pores can alter optical characteristics, limiting their applications.
Innovation Solution
The method involves generating closed-cell metal oxide particles by forming liquid droplets from a dispersion of polymer and metal oxide particles, drying them, and then calcining or sintering to create a metal oxide matrix with encapsulated voids, preventing media infiltration and maintaining consistent refractive index.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If structural colorants with open pores are used to achieve color effects, then optical characteristics are enhanced, but media infiltration into pores alters the refractive index and changes color properties
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a shell structure where a metal oxide shell encloses internal voids within polymer particles. This shell prevents media infiltration into the voids while maintaining the structural color effect, thus preserving refractive index consistency despite having internal porous structure for optical properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a nested structure where metal oxide particles are embedded within polymer particles, forming a core-shell configuration. The metal oxide shell nestles around internal voids, preventing media access while maintaining the optical properties provided by the internal structure.
2Reliability
If polymer particles are used as templates for closed-cell structures, then media-inaccessible voids are formed, but additional processing steps (coating, calcining) are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses polymer particles as pre-formed templates that already contain the desired void structure. By performing the template creation action in advance, the subsequent steps (coating with metal oxide, calcining) become simpler and more reliable, as the void architecture is already established before the protective shell is applied.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach produces metal oxide particles that maintain color effects and optical properties regardless of the surrounding medium, enhancing their application in various formulations by preventing media infiltration into the closed cells.
Implementation Method 1
calcining or sintering densifies the metal oxide material and removes the polymer material to produce the closed-cell metal oxide particles
Implementation Method 2
calcining or sintering densifies the metal oxide material
Implementation Method 3
calcining or sintering removes the polymer material to produce the closed-cell metal oxide particles
Implementation Method 4
drying the liquid droplets to provide dried particles comprising an array of the first particles
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed in certain embodiments are closed-cell metal oxide particles and methods of preparing the same. In at least one embodiment, a closed-cell metal oxide particle comprises a metal oxide matrix defining an array of closed-cells. Each closed-cell encapsulates a media-inaccessible void volume. The outer surface of the closed-cell metal oxide particle is defined by the array of closed-cells.