Substrate-less Optical Sheet Nanopattern Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional optical sheets with substrate layers suffer from light transmission loss and reflection due to interlayer interfaces, and the formation of nanopatterns without substrates is challenging due to mold releasability issues and substrate-related limitations such as wrinkling and curling.
Innovation Solution
A substrate-less optical sheet is manufactured using a curable resin composition comprising urethane acrylate and fluorine-containing siloxane-acrylate oligomer, with a nanopattern transferred via a release mold coated with silicone, fluorine, or Teflon, and cured using a roll-to-roll process to achieve high transmittance and improved light diffusion properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a substrate film is used to form a cured resin layer with nanopattern, then flexibility and transparency are improved, but wrinkling and curling occur and manufacturing cost reduction is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the substrate film from the final product structure. Instead of forming a cured resin layer on a substrate and then stripping the substrate, the invention directly forms the nanopatterned cured resin layer without any substrate, extracting the problematic substrate component that causes wrinkling and curling while maintaining the desired optical and mechanical properties
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by using a release mold with nanopattern from the beginning of the process. The release mold is coated with a release agent beforehand to prevent adhesion, allowing the curable resin composition to be imprinted with the nanopattern and then easily released without requiring substrate support, thus preventing wrinkles and curls before they can form
2Manufacturing precision
If a mold with nanopattern is used to transfer pattern to curable resin, then nanopattern formation is achieved, but mold separation becomes difficult due to increased interfacial force
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a release agent as an intermediary substance between the mold surface and the curable resin composition. This release agent (such as silicone oil, fluorine-containing compounds, or Teflon-based materials) reduces the interfacial adhesion force, allowing the nanopattern to be accurately transferred to the resin while enabling easy separation of the mold from the cured resin layer without damaging the nanopattern
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the surface energy parameters of the mold by coating it with a release agent. This modification reduces the surface energy and adhesion between the mold and the curable resin, allowing for precise nanopattern transfer while facilitating easy mold release. The release agent creates a low-energy interface that prevents strong bonding during the curing process
3Strength
If a multilayer structure with substrate film is formed, then strength is improved, but light transmission loss occurs at interlayer interface
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the substrate film from the multilayer structure, eliminating the source of light transmission loss at the substrate-resin interface. By forming the nanopatterned cured resin layer directly without substrate support, the invention eliminates the harmful refractive index mismatch and reflection that occur at substrate interfaces, achieving high light transmittance while maintaining sufficient mechanical strength through the nanopattern structure itself
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 achieves a transmittance of 95% or more without substrate-related light loss, enhances curling resistance, and facilitates mass production with reduced manufacturing costs, while maintaining reliability and repeatability in forming thin films with nano-scale patterns.
Implementation Method 1
obtaining the single layer having a transferred nanopattern on a surface thereof by passing the single layer formed in (S1) through a release mold having a nanopattern
Implementation Method 2
curing the single layer having the transferred nanopattern obtained in (S2)
Implementation Method 3
a release mold having a nanopattern... coated with silicone, fluorine, or Teflon
Data Source
Figure 1(a)~2(b)
Figure 3~5
AI summary
This invention relates to a method of manufacturing an optical sheet, including: (S1) forming a single layer by feeding a curable resin composition, (S2) obtaining the single layer having a transferred nanopattern on a surface thereof by passing the single layer formed in (S1) through a release mold having a nanopattern having a pitch of 50 to 500 nm and an aspect ratio of 1.0 to 5.0, and (S3) curing the single layer having the transferred nanopattern obtained in (S2).