# US 10,310,154 B2 · Optical member, polarization member, and display device employing polymer film > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,310,154 B2 - Document ID: US10310154B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/711,547 - Filed: 2017-09-21 - Published: 2018-03-22 - Granted: 2019-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2016-09-21 - Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Shigeto Kobori - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10310154B2 ## CPC - G02B 5/305: {including organic materials, e.g. polymeric layers} - C08J 7/0427: {with only one layer of a composition containing a polymer binder (with more layers C08J7/042)} - C08J 7/043: Improving the adhesiveness of the coatings per se, e.g. forming primers (adhesives in the form of films or foils characterised by the primer layers between the polymer carriers and the adhesives C09J7/50) - C08J 7/044: Forming conductive coatings; Forming coatings having anti-static properties - C08J 7/046: Forming abrasion-resistant coatings; Forming surface-hardening coatings - C08J 7/056: Forming hydrophilic coatings - G02B 1/14: Protective coatings, e.g. hard coatings - C08J 2301/12: Cellulose acetate - C08J 2333/08: Homopolymers or copolymers of acrylic acid esters - C08J 2333/24: Homopolymers or copolymers of amides or imides - C08J 2433/08: Homopolymers or copolymers of acrylic acid esters - C08J 2433/24: Homopolymers or copolymers of amides or imides - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS - C08J: WORKING-UP; GENERAL PROCESSES OF COMPOUNDING; AFTER-TREATMENT NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C08B, C08C, C08F, C08G or C08H (working, e.g. shaping, of plastics B29) ## Abstract Provided is a polymer film in which metal oxide particles are localized to a great degree, wherein the polymer film is a hard coat layer that includes a binder including a first polymer component and a second polymer component that are miscible with each other and metal oxide particles that are unevenly distributed with a greater concentration toward at least one of a surface portion and the other surface portion opposite the surface portion, wherein the first polymer component may be hydrophilic, the second polymer component may be hydrophobic relative to the first polymer component, a proportion of the first polymer component may gradually decrease from the surface portion to the other surface portion, and the surface portion may be toward a substrate for forming the polymer film. An optical member, such as a polarization member, and a display device employing the polymer film are also provided. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A display device comprising: a display that displays an image; and a polymer film disposed on the display, wherein the polymer film comprises a binder and metal oxide particles, the binder comprises a first polymer component and a second polymer component, the first polymer component and the second polymer component are miscible with each other, the metal oxide particles are unevenly distributed in a thickness direction of the polymer film with a relatively greater concentration of the metal oxide particles being located toward at least one of a surface portion of the polymer film and an other surface portion of the polymer film that is opposite the surface portion in the thickness direction, the first polymer component is hydrophilic, the second polymer component is hydrophobic relative to the first polymer component, a proportion of the first polymer component gradually decreases from the surface portion to the other surface portion, and the surface portion is a portion of the polymer film located closest to the display. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The display device of claim 1, wherein the binder further comprises a mixed layer between the surface portion and the other surface portion, and in the mixed layer, the first polymer component and the second polymer component are mixed with each other. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The display device of claim 1, wherein the metal oxide particles are unevenly distributed with a greater concentration toward the other surface portion. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The display device of claim 1, further comprising a low refractive index layer having a refractive index smaller than that of the polymer film, wherein the low refractive index layer is disposed on the other surface portion of the polymer film. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The display device of claim 4, wherein the low refractive index layer is hydrophobic relative to the binder and the metal oxide particles. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The display device of claim 1, wherein the binder is a product of photopolymerization of: a first component that constitutes the first polymer component and is at least one of a monomer and an oligomer, wherein the monomer and the oligomer each comprise an acrylamide skeleton and at least one photopolymerizable functional group in one molecule; and a second component that constitutes the second polymer component and is a monomer comprising at least two photopolymerizable functional groups in one molecule. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The display device of claim 6, further comprising an antistatic agent and a polymerization initiator, which are mainly distributed in the polymer film toward the other surface portion. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The display device of claim 6, wherein a hydrophilicity of the first component is greater than that of the display, a hydrophilicity of the display is greater than that of the second component, and a hydrophilicity of the second component is greater than that of the metal oxide particles. ### Claim 9 An optical member comprising: a substrate; and a polymer film disposed on the substrate, wherein the polymer film comprises a binder and metal oxide particles, the binder comprises a first polymer component and a second polymer component, the first polymer component and the second polymer component are miscible with each other, the metal oxide particles are unevenly distributed in a thickness direction of the polymer film with a relatively greater concentration of the metal oxide particles being located toward at least one of a surface portion and an other surface portion of the polymer film that is opposite the surface portion in the thickness direction, the first polymer component is hydrophilic, the second polymer component is hydrophobic relative to the first polymer component, a proportion of the first polymer component gradually decreases from the surface portion to the other surface portion, and the surface portion is a portion of the polymer film located closest to the substrate. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The optical member of claim 9, wherein the binder further comprises a mixed layer between the surface portion and the other surface portion, and in the mixed layer, the first polymer component and the second polymer component are mixed with each other. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The optical member of claim 9, wherein the metal oxide particles are unevenly distributed with a greater concentration toward the other surface portion. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The optical member of claim 9, further comprising a low refractive index layer having a refractive index smaller than that of the polymer film, wherein the low refractive index layer is disposed on the other surface portion of the polymer film. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The optical member of claim 12, wherein the low refractive index layer is hydrophobic relative to the binder and the metal oxide particles. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The optical member of claim 9, wherein the binder is a product of photopolymerization of: a first component that constitutes the first polymer component and is at least one of a monomer and an oligomer, wherein the monomer and the oligomer each comprise an acrylamide skeleton and at least one photopolymerizable functional group in one molecule; and a second component that constitutes the second polymer component and is a monomer comprising at least two photopolymerizable functional groups in one molecule. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The optical member of claim 14, further comprising an antistatic agent and a polymerization initiator, which are mainly distributed in the polymer film toward the other surface portion. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The optical member of claim 15, wherein, based on 100 parts by weight of a total weight of the polymer film, an amount of the antistatic agent is in a range of about 0.1 parts by weight to about 10 parts by weight and an amount of the polymerization initiator is in a range of about 0.5 parts by weight to about 10 parts by weight. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The optical member of claim 14, wherein a hydrophilicity of the first component is greater than that of the substrate, a hydrophilicity of the substrate is greater than that of the second component, and a hydrophilicity of the second component is greater than that of the metal oxide particles. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The optical member of claim 14, wherein, based on 100 parts by weight of a total weight of the polymer film, an amount of the first component is in a range of about 20 parts by weight or greater and about 90 parts by weight or less, an amount of the second component is in a range of about 5 parts by weight or greater and about 90 parts by weight or less, and an amount of the metal oxide particles is in a range of about 0.1 parts by weight or greater and about 10 parts by weight or less. ### Claim 19 A polarization member comprising: a polarization layer that polarizes light; and a polymer film disposed on the polarization layer, wherein the polymer film comprises a binder and metal oxide particles, the binder comprises a first polymer component and a second polymer component, the first polymer component and the second polymer component are miscible with each other, the metal oxide particles are unevenly distributed in a thickness direction of the polymer film with a relatively greater concentration of the metal oxide particles being located toward at least one of a surface portion of the polymer film and an other surface portion of the polymer film that is opposite the surface portion in the thickness direction, the first polymer component is hydrophilic, the second polymer component is hydrophobic relative to the first polymer component, a proportion of the first polymer component gradually decreases from the surface portion to the other surface portion, and the surface portion is a portion of the polymer film located closest to the polarization layer. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The polarization member of claim 19, wherein the binder further comprises a mixed layer between the surface portion and the other surface portion, and in the mixed layer, the first polymer component and the second polymer component are mixed with each other.