Flexible Infrared Selective Emitter With Wear-Resistant Coating

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional infrared selective emitters are vulnerable to physical stimuli, such as friction, and cannot be applied to curved surfaces due to their brittle nature, limiting their practical use.

Innovation Solution

An infrared selective emitter with a flexible substrate, conductive thin film layer, metasurface part, and protective coating layer that enhances wear resistance and allows application to curved surfaces while maintaining selective infrared emission.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a protective structure is added to protect the microstructure from physical stimuli, then wear resistance is improved, but the emissivity of selectively emitting infrared rays is lowered and the device becomes heavier

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewear resistanceVSAvoidemissivity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies a flexible polymer coating layer (thin film) over the microstructure to protect it from physical stimuli. This thin protective shell prevents damage to the underlying infrared-selective microstructure while being thin enough to minimize interference with infrared emission, thus resolving the contradiction between wear resistance and emissivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a composite structure by combining the microstructure layer with a polymer coating layer. This composite material approach allows the protective polymer to provide mechanical durability while the underlying microstructure maintains its infrared emission properties, achieving both wear resistance and high emissivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Reliability

If a protective structure is added to protect the microstructure from physical stimuli, then wear resistance is improved, but the device becomes heavier

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewear resistanceVSAvoiddevice weight

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses a thin polymer coating layer instead of a thick protective structure. This thin film provides sufficient protection against physical stimuli while keeping the added weight minimal, thus resolving the contradiction between wear resistance and device weight.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The polymer coating layer serves as a sacrificial protective layer that can be applied as a thin, lightweight coating. Rather than using heavy durable materials, the patent applies a lightweight polymer layer that provides adequate protection for the application context.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

3Manufacturing precision

If a rigid substrate is used to manufacture the infrared selective emitter, then manufacturing precision is improved, but the device cannot be applied to curved surfaces

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemicrostructure formation precisionVSAvoidcurved surface applicability

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a flexible polymer substrate instead of a rigid substrate. This flexible substrate allows the infrared-selective emitter to conform to curved surfaces while the coating process maintains sufficient manufacturing precision for the microstructure formation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the substrate material parameter from rigid to flexible, enabling the device to be applied to curved surfaces. This material parameter change allows adaptability to various surface geometries while maintaining functional performance through optimized coating processes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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

The emitter can selectively emit infrared energy in a desired wavelength band, withstand external stimuli, and maintain emission performance on curved surfaces, maximizing its utility.

Implementation Method 1

Since the infrared selective emitter uses the resonance phenomenon of the microstructure

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectResonance phenomenon: Resonance

Implementation Method 2

the microstructure can be easily damaged by physical stimuli such as friction from the external environment

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Data Source

PatentUS12481087B2Infrared selective emitter with improved wear resistance

Publication Date: 2025.11.25 UI (UNIVERSITY IND FOUNDATION) YONSEI UNIVERSITY

AI summary

The present invention provides an infrared selective emitter that can selectively emit infrared energy in a desired wavelength band, can be easily applied to a curved surface due to its flexible properties, and can protect the formed surface structure of the infrared selective emitter from external stimuli such as friction, thereby improving wear resistance and maximizing the function of infrared selective emission.