Foamed Light-Blocking Composition With Hollow Glass Particles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing light-blocking articles, such as blackout curtains and shades, face challenges in achieving lightweight, flexible, and launderable designs while maintaining light coloration and reflectivity, and preventing dark opacifying agents from escaping during handling and stitching.
Innovation Solution
A foamed, opacifying element comprising a substrate with an opacifying layer and a functional composition containing hollow glass particles, porous particles, and a binder material with a low glass transition temperature, which provides improved light blocking and heat absorption without the fugitive issue of dark pigments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If carbon black layer is used as light-absorbing middle layer, then light blocking performance is improved, but carbon black becomes fugitive and soils other layers during sewing or laundering
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the light-absorbing function from carbon black pigment and transfers it to the hollow glass particles themselves through selective absorption coating. The harmful carbon black pigment is removed from the system while retaining its light-blocking function through the coated glass particles.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary selective absorption coating on the hollow glass particles that mediates between the light-blocking requirement and the non-fugitive requirement. This coating layer absorbs light while being encapsulated within the glass particle structure, preventing it from migrating during sewing or laundering.
2Reliability
If three or more separate coating operations are used for light-absorbing middle layer between reflective layers, then light blocking performance is improved, but manufacturing productivity decreases and unit costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the light-absorbing middle layer function with the outer reflective layers by incorporating the hollow glass particles with selective absorption coating directly into the foam coating composition. This eliminates the need for separate coating operations while achieving the same light-blocking performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The hollow glass particles with selective absorption coating serve multiple functions simultaneously: they provide light absorption, contribute to the foam structure, and maintain non-fugitive properties. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate coating operations needed.
3Illumination intensity
If light colored foams with light scattering pigments are used, then light coloration is achieved, but very thick foam coatings are needed to block transmitted light
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the optical parameters of the foam coating by incorporating hollow glass particles with selective absorption coating. These particles have high light-absorbing efficiency, allowing thin coatings to achieve the same light-blocking performance that would require very thick coatings with conventional light scattering pigments.
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 solution results in lightweight, flexible, and effective light-blocking materials that absorb less heat and prevent the opacifying layer from sticking, while maintaining a light color and preventing dark pigments from escaping, thus enhancing the durability and performance of light-blocking articles.
Implementation Method 1
light scattering pigments such as titanium dioxide or clays
Implementation Method 2
reflective layers
Implementation Method 3
an opacifying colorant different from all of the one or more additives of (c), which opacifying colorant absorbs electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength of at least 380 nm and up to and including 800 nm
Implementation Method 4
a binder material having a glass transition temperature (Tg) of less than 25°C
Data Source
AI summary
A foamed, opacifying element useful as a light-blocking article has a substrate; an opacifying layer disposed on the substrate, and a functional composition disposed over the opacifying layer. The functional composition comprises: (i) glass particles such as hollow glass particles. The presence of the glass particles provides additional heat absorption for the foamed, opacifying elements that can be formed into light-blocking materials.