Polymerizable Composition for Liquid Crystal Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
The manufacturing process of liquid crystal displays (LCDs) is costly and complex, requiring large-scale production lines and equipment, and existing polymer-dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) technologies face challenges in achieving high contrast ratios and low energy consumption while maintaining thermal stability.
Innovation Solution
A liquid crystal device is developed using an alignable polymer network that can orient and reorder liquid crystals with external actions, such as voltage application, incorporating a polymerizable composition with bifunctional and multifunctional acrylate compounds to form a polymer network, which includes a liquid crystal compound, and is manufactured using a squeeze coating method to achieve high contrast ratios and low driving voltages.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a conventional LCD manufacturing process is used, then high image quality can be achieved, but the manufacturing cost and process complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the liquid crystal layer formation step from the complex conventional LCD manufacturing process by using a polymer-dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) structure. This allows the liquid crystal to be dispersed in a polymer matrix that can be applied as a coating, eliminating the need for precise alignment layers and complex electrode structures while maintaining display functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite material system consisting of liquid crystal droplets dispersed in a polymer matrix. This composite structure combines the optical properties of liquid crystals with the mechanical stability of polymers, achieving both high image quality and simplified manufacturing through coating processes.
2Device complexity
If PDLC technology is used to simplify manufacturing, then process complexity decreases, but achieving high contrast ratios and low energy consumption becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the PDLC performance by carefully controlling parameters including the size and distribution of liquid crystal droplets, the polymer matrix composition, and the coating process conditions. These parameter adjustments enable the simplified PDLC structure to achieve high contrast ratios and low energy consumption comparable to conventional LCDs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements local quality optimization by controlling the spatial distribution and size of liquid crystal droplets within the polymer matrix. By creating uniform droplet distributions and optimizing local droplet concentrations, the device achieves high contrast ratios and efficient voltage switching despite the simplified manufacturing process.
3Ease of manufacture
If PDLC structure is used, then manufacturing cost decreases, but thermal stability becomes challenging to maintain
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses the polymer-liquid crystal composite structure where the polymer matrix provides thermal stability while the dispersed liquid crystal droplets maintain optical functionality. The polymer network structure resists thermal degradation and maintains the structural integrity of the device under varying temperature conditions, addressing the thermal stability challenge of cost-reduced PDLC manufacturing.
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 device exhibits excellent transparency, high contrast ratios, and thermal stability, enabling efficient manufacturing and operation with low energy consumption, suitable for various optical applications like smart windows and flexible displays.
Implementation Method 1
a liquid crystal compound and a precursor of an alignable polymer network... The polymer network capable of aligning the liquid crystal compound... The liquid crystal compound which can be dispersed in the alignable polymer network may be orientationally ordered by an action of the alignable polymer network
Implementation Method 2
a polymerizable composition comprising a liquid crystal compound and a precursor of an alignable polymer network... polymerizing a layer formed by coating a polymerizable composition
Data Source
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AI summary
Provided are a liquid crystal device, a composition capable of forming a liquid crystal layer, a method of manufacturing the liquid crystal device, a system for manufacturing the liquid crystal device, and a use of the liquid crystal device. The liquid crystal device is a device capable of exhibiting, for example, a normally white or black mode, which may exhibit a high contrast ratio and be driven with a low driving voltage, and exhibit excellent durability such as thermal stability. Such a liquid crystal device may be applied to various optical modulators such as a smart window, a window protective film, a flexible display device, an active retarder for displaying 3D images, or a viewing angle control film.