Polymer dispersed-type liquid crystal element comprising neutralized conductive polymer transparent electrode and method for producing same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10642108-B2
Application number	US-201515516764-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 22, 2015
Priority date	Oct 27, 2014
Publication date	May 5, 2020
Grant date	May 5, 2020

Abstract

This invention relates to a polymer-dispersed liquid crystal device, including a substrate layer; a neutralized first electrode layer formed on the substrate layer; a polymer-dispersed liquid crystal layer formed on the first electrode layer; a neutralized second electrode layer formed on the polymer-dispersed liquid crystal layer; and a substrate layer formed on the second electrode layer, and to a method of manufacturing the same.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of manufacturing a polymer-dispersed liquid crystal device including a neutralized conductive polymer transparent electrode, comprising:
a) forming a first electrode layer by applying a conductive polymer ink composition including a neutralized PEDOT:PSS aqueous dispersion on a substrate layer and then performing thermal treatment;
b) forming a polymer-dispersed liquid crystal layer on the first electrode layer;
c) bonding a second electrode layer formed in the same manner as in a) to the polymer-dispersed liquid crystal layer; and
d) curing the polymer-dispersed liquid crystal layer through irradiation with a light source,
wherein the neutralized PEDOT:PSS aqueous dispersion is obtained by:
a′) mixing a PEDOT:PSS (poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate)) aqueous dispersion with an amine compound and an organic solvent that undergoes phase separation from water so as to be neutralized;
b′) subjecting a mixed solution obtained in a′) to phase separation into a lower water layer including the neutralized PEDOT:PSS aqueous dispersion and an upper organic layer including the amine compound and the organic solvent;
c′) removing the upper organic layer from the water layer and the organic layer, which are phase-separated; and
d′) washing the water layer having no organic layer with an organic solvent, thus removing the upper organic layer.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the conductive polymer ink composition including the neutralized PEDOT:PSS (poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate)) aqueous dispersion further comprises dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), an alcohol and a surfactant.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein an amount of the dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) is 0.3 to 5.0 wt % based on a total weight of the ink composition.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the conductive polymer ink composition comprises a polyhydric alcohol.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the conductive polymer ink composition has a pH of 4.0 to 8.0.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the thermal treatment in a) is performed on a hot plate at 80 to 150° C. for 10 to 50 min.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer has a thickness of 50 to 500 nm.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the amine compound is at least one selected from the group consisting of 3,5-lutidine, 2,4,6-collidine and triethylamine.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the organic solvent in a′) is used in an amount of 50 to 500 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the PEDOT:PSS aqueous dispersion.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein an amount of the PEDOT:PSS aqueous dispersion is 10 to 60 wt % based on a total weight of the ink composition.

Assignees

• Lg Chemical Ltd

Inventors

• Woo Yu-Jin
• Kim Mi-Kyoung
• You Jung-Sun

Classifications

• G02F1/1334

  based on polymer dispersed liquid crystals, e.g. microencapsulated liquid crystals · CPC title

• E06B9/24

  Screens or other constructions affording protection against light, especially against sunshine; Similar screens for privacy or appearance; {Slat blinds}(operating, guiding or securing devices or arrangements for roll-type closures E06B9/56; free-hanging flexible screens A47H23/00) · CPC title

• G02F1/1333

  Constructional arrangements; {Manufacturing methods}(G02F1/135, G02F1/136 take precedence) · CPC title

• G02F1/134309

  characterised by their geometrical arrangement · CPC title

• E06B2009/2464

  featuring transparency control by applying voltage, e.g. LCD, electrochromic panels · CPC title