Stable thermochromics polymer films with vanadium dioxide nanowires

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11236239-B2
Application number	US-201715858069-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 29, 2017
Priority date	Mar 6, 2015
Publication date	Feb 1, 2022
Grant date	Feb 1, 2022

Abstract

A thermochromic device includes a film and a number of vanadium dioxide nanowires disposed within the film. The film is manufactured by hot extruding a material that includes a polymer and a plurality of vanadium dioxide nanowires on a drum to form a rough film.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of manufacturing a film, comprising:
mixing a polymer and a plurality of vanadium dioxide nanowires;
forming a finished film with the mixture of the polymer and the plurality of vanadium dioxide nanowires;
heating the plurality of vanadium dioxide nanowires above a non-conducting to conductor phase transition temperature of the vanadium dioxide;
applying an electric field to orient each of the plurality of vanadium dioxide nanowires while above the phase transition temperature; and
modifying optical characteristics of the finished film with transmission characteristics and polarization dependence of the oriented plurality of vanadium dioxide nanowires.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein
forming the finished film comprises:
hot extruding the mixture of the polymer and the plurality of vanadium dioxide nanowires on a drum to form a rough film; and
drawing the rough film along a plurality of rollers along a length of the rough film.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein
each of the plurality of vanadium dioxide nanowires is oriented along a length of the finished film.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein each of the plurality of vanadium dioxide nanowires is oriented by additionally applying a tension along the length of the finished film.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein
each of the plurality of vanadium dioxide nanowires is oriented along a width of the finished film.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein each of the plurality of vanadium dioxide nanowires is oriented by additionally applying a tension along the width of the finished film.

7. The method of claim 2 , wherein
forming the finished film further comprises:
plasticizing the rough film by heating to a first predetermined temperature; and
recrystallizing the rough film by cooling to a second predetermined temperature.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein
forming the finished film comprises:
forming a suspension that includes the mixture of the polymer and the plurality of vanadium dioxide nanowires; and
depositing the suspension on a substrate.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein
the suspension further includes a surface functionalization agent that disperses the plurality of vanadium dioxide nanowires in the polymer.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein
the suspension further includes a surfactant that disperses the plurality of vanadium dioxide nanowires in the polymer.

Assignees

• Konica Minolta Business Solutions Usa Inc

Inventors

• Amano Jun

Classifications

• B29C71/0072 Primary

  for changing orientation · CPC title

• B29C2035/0822

  using IR radiation · CPC title

• C08K2201/003

  Additives being defined by their diameter · CPC title

• B29K2105/162

  Nanoparticles · CPC title

• C08K9/02

  Ingredients treated with inorganic substances · CPC title