# US 11,077,631 B2 · Continuous roll-to-roll process design for vertical alignment of particles using electric field > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,077,631 B2 - Document ID: US11077631B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/893,182 - Filed: 2014-05-30 - Published: 2016-03-31 - Granted: 2021-08-03 - Earliest claimed: 2013-05-30 - Assignees: The University of Akron - Applicants: Mukerrem Cakmak; Saurabh Batra - Inventors: Mukerrem Cakmak; Saurabh Batra - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11077631B2 ## CPC - B29C 71/0072: {for changing orientation} - B29C 35/0805: {using electromagnetic radiation} - B29C 71/0081: {using an electric field, e.g. for electrostatic charging (electrostatic pinning of extruded material B29C48/9165; fixing linings by electrostatic charges B29C63/0043)} - B29C 71/02: Thermal after-treatment {(B29C71/0063 and B29C71/0072 take precedence)} - B29C 2035/0827: {using UV radiation} - B29C 2071/022: {Annealing} - B29K 2067/003: {PET, i.e. poylethylene terephthalate} - B29K 2105/0002: {monomers or prepolymers} - B29K 2105/162: {Nanoparticles} - B29K 2509/00: Use of inorganic materials not provided for in groups {B29K2503/00 - B29K2507/00,} as filler - B29K 2995/0003: having particular electrical or magnetic properties, e.g. piezoelectric - B29K 2995/0006: Dielectric - B29K 2995/0044: Anisotropic - B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00) - B29K: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR {MOULDS, } REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS ## Abstract A method of preparing an anisotropic polymer film using an electric field generator. The method of preparing an electric field generator comprising supplying an electric field across an electric field application zone, where the electric field is generated by a first electrode having a first charge and a second electrode having a charge opposite of the first, passing a polymer film that optionally includes dispersed particles through the electric field application zone, where the polymer film contacts the first electrode to induce orientation, and freezing the polymer film to lock the orientation before the polymer film exits the electric field application zone. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of preparing an anisotropic polymer film comprising: providing a polymer film on a transportable conveyor acting as a second electrode, the polymer film including an orientable component, wherein the orientable component is polymer phases, dispersed particles, or both polymer phases and dispersed particles, the polymer film having a thickness, where the polymer film is UV-curable, supplying an electric field across an electric field application zone, where the electric field is generated by a first electrode positioned above the second electrode and having a first charge, the second electrode having a charge opposite of the first electrode, where the first electrode is a belt wrapped around two rollers, where the belt is a transparent conductive film, rotating the first electrode through the electric field application zone at a rotation speed, transporting the second electrode through the electric field application zone at a transport speed to thereby pass the polymer film through the electric field application zone, where the step of transporting includes contacting the first electrode and the polymer film and inducing orientation of the orientable component, adjusting the height of the belt by moving a back plate that is connected to the two rollers, where the step of adjusting by moving the back plate maintains the contacting of the first electrode and the polymer film, the first electrode includes a voltage source in constant contact therewith, where the voltage source is spring loaded in order to maintain the constant contact, and freezing the polymer film, by applying a UV light, to lock the orientation of the orientable component during the step of transporting and before the polymer film exits the electric field application zone to thereby produce an oriented polymer film, where the orientation of the orientable component is in the direction of the polymer film thickness, where the UV light is positioned between the two rollers and within the wrapped belt. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, where the oriented polymer film is rolled onto a take-up roll after the oriented polymer film exits the electric field application zone. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, where the polymer film includes the dispersed particles, which are dispersed dielectric particles. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising steps of measuring the birefringence of the oriented polymer film after the oriented polymer film exits the electric field application zone to obtain an optical anisotropy of the oriented polymer film, and adjusting one or more parameters of the method based on the obtained optical anisotropy. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, where the electric field is about 724 V/mm. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, where the transparent conductive film is indium tin oxide coated polyethylene terephthalate. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, where the rotation speed of the step of rotating and the transport speed of the step of transporting are the same to thereby avoid shearing of the polymer film. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, where the UV curable polymer film includes acrylic groups. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, where the transparent conductive film blocks a portion of wavelengths not required to cure the UV curable polymer film. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, where the transparent conductive film blocks all wavelengths not required to cure the UV curable polymer film. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, where the UV light is positioned between only two rollers. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, where the two rollers are made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC). ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising steps of correlating birefringence values with voltage and exposure time by way of the following equation: Δ ⁢ ⁢ n V ⁢  t  - Δ ⁢ ⁢ n 0 V Δ ⁢ ⁢ n f V - Δ ⁢ ⁢ n 0 V = 1 - exp ⁡ ( - t a V ) where ΔnV is birefringence at any time t, Δn0V is initial birefringence, ΔnfV is final birefringence and aV is characteristic time for applied voltage V, plotting normalized birefringence as a function of reduced time, t/av, to obtain a master curve independent of applied field to thereby obtain an electro-optic superposition principle (EOSP), and tailoring, using the EOSP, alignment of the orientable component under the electric field by selecting a voltage and a time for a desired orientation.