UV-Curable Conductive Ink for Fast Display Glass Grounding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conductive inks used in electronic devices often face challenges in curing, requiring secondary methods or elevated temperatures, which complicates the manufacturing process and can lead to charge accumulation issues in display components.
Innovation Solution
Development of an ultraviolet-curable conductive ink with high aspect ratio conductors like nanowires or carbon nanotubes dispersed in an ultraviolet-curable resin, allowing for full curing at room temperature within minutes using UV light, and incorporating pigments or dyes for opacity at visible wavelengths while remaining transparent at UV wavelengths for effective grounding and masking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional conductive ink is used, then conductivity is achieved, but curing requires secondary methods or elevated temperatures which complicates manufacturing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the curing mechanism parameter from thermal or secondary chemical curing to ultraviolet light curing. The conductive ink formulation uses UV-curable resins that crosslink upon UV exposure, enabling simple one-step curing at room temperature without secondary methods or elevated temperatures, thus resolving the manufacturing complexity issue.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces thermal curing mechanisms with optical curing mechanisms. Instead of using heat (thermal energy) to cure the conductive ink, ultraviolet light (optical energy) is used to initiate polymerization of the resin, substituting a thermal process with an optical process that is simpler and more controllable.
2Productivity
If conventional conductive ink is used, then conductivity is achieved, but elevated temperatures or secondary curing methods are required which complicates the manufacturing process
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the phase transition property of UV-curable resins that transition from liquid to solid upon UV irradiation. This allows rapid curing at room temperature without the time-consuming process of heating to elevated temperatures, significantly reducing manufacturing time and improving productivity.
3Ease of manufacture
If colorants are added for masking, then opacity at visible wavelengths is achieved, but UV transparency must be maintained for curing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the local quality principle by selecting colorants with specific optical properties: they absorb visible light to provide masking opacity but transmit ultraviolet light to allow curing. This localized optical property selection enables the ink to simultaneously achieve masking functionality and UV curability without compromising either function.
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 enables rapid, efficient curing of conductive inks at room temperature without additional processing, preventing charge accumulation and simplifying manufacturing, while providing both grounding and masking functionalities in electronic devices.
Implementation Method 1
A conductive ink may be ultraviolet-curable and include conductors dispersed in an ultraviolet-curable resin... the conductive ink may be fully curable using ultraviolet light at room temperature
Implementation Method 2
Because of the small size and dispersed nature of the conductors, ultraviolet light incident on the conductive ink may penetrate the entirety of the ultraviolet-curable resin
Implementation Method 3
The conductive ink may be opaque at visible wavelengths, while remaining transparent at ultraviolet wavelengths
Data Source
AI summary
A conductive ink may include an ultraviolet-curable resin and high-aspect-ratio conductors, such as nanowires or carbon nanotubes, dispersed in the ultraviolet-curable resin. The conductive ink may be fully curable at room temperature in under a minute with a curing depth of at least 100 microns, without heat, moisture, or a secondary curing step. The conductive ink may also have pigment and/or dyes within the ultraviolet-curable resin, and the conductive ink may be opaque at infrared wavelengths and transparent at ultraviolet wavelengths. The conductive ink may ground the cover glass of an electronic device display to a metal structure within the electronic device, such as a metal plate of the display, to prevent an accumulation of charge at the cover glass.