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US 7,397,530 B2Granted
Method for encapsulation of liquid crystals with a narrow capsule size range
AssigneePolyDisplay ASA
InventorsAnne Dalager Dyrli, Ruth Baumberger Schmid, Cecilie Kristiansen, Jan K. Nielsen, Maxim Miltrokhin, Lorenzo Williams
Life of this patent
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Abstract
This invention relates to a method for encapsulation of liquid crystals to form spherical particles with a narrow size distribution. More specific, this invention relates to a method for encapsulation of liquid crystals that are suitable to be employed in liquid crystal displays, including displays intended to be used in large boards outdoors.
Claims7
A method for encapsulating liquid crystal materials in a polymeric spherical shell with a narrow size distribution, which comprises
- preparing an aqueous emulsion with a narrow size distribution of an oily phase containing a polymer forming material and an initiator material, wherein the oily phase is homogenised in a hydrophilic phase in which the oily material is more soluble than in water, but sufficiently insoluble to form an emulsion by homogenisation,
- stabilising the emulsion by diluting the aqueous phase by addition of a high portion of water, and
- polymerising the polymer forming material to form polymer particles with a narrow size distribution, characterised in that
- a liquid crystal material is dissolved into the oily phase during the preparation of the aqueous emulsion in a sufficient amount to form one or several separate phase(s) of the liquid crystal within the polymer forming material during polymerisation, such that the one or more liquid crystal phase(s) become(s) encapsulated inside the spherical polymeric particle being formed.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.