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US5368770A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Method of preparing thin liquid crystal films

Assignee: Kent State University
•
Filing: 1992-06-01
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Granted: 1994-11-29
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Expires: 2012-06-01
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Abstract

Abstract A liquid crystalline paste material is formed by polymerization of a solution containing a mesogenic solvent and monomeric material in bulk. The paste provides an improved method of preparing thin electrically addressable light modulating films by coating the paste onto a suitable substrate.

Inventors

  • 👤 Alfred Saupe
  • 👤 Antal Jakli

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-09 15:28
CPC Classifications
C; C09; C09K; C09K19/00; C09K19/52; C09K19/54; C09K19/542

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim 77 words
A method of producing a thin electrically addressable light modulating liquid crystalline film comprising the steps of: a) preparing a solution comprising a polymerizable monomeric material in a mesogenic solvent having positive dielectric anisotropy; b) polymerizing said solution in bulk until said monomeric material polymerizes and phase separates from the mesogenic solvent to form a spreadable liquid crystalline paste; and thereafter, c) coating said liquid crystal paste onto a substrate to form a thin electrically addressable film.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 77 words
A method of producing a thin electrically addressable light modulating liquid crystalline film comprising the steps of: a) preparing a solution comprising a polymerizable monomeric material in a mesogenic solvent having positive dielectric anisotropy; b) polymerizing said solution in bulk until said monomeric material polymerizes and phase separates from the mesogenic solvent to form a spreadable liquid crystalline paste; and thereafter, c) coating said liquid crystal paste onto a substrate to form a thin electrically addressable film.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 22 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein the polymerizing step is carried out when the mesogenic solvent is in the isotropic phase.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 30 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein said monomeric material is added in an amount from about 0.5 to 5% by weight based on the weight of solvent and monomer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 11 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein the solution is photopolymerized.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 12 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein the solution is thermally polymerized.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 19 words
The method according to claim 1, which includes adding nematic liquid crystal as a component of the mesogenic solvent.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 21 words
The method according to claim 6, further including adding a cholesteric liquid crystal material as a component of the mesogenic solvent.
Claim 9
Independent Claim 84 words
A method of producing a thin electrically addressable light modulating liquid crystalline film comprising the steps of: a) polymerizing a monomeric material to form a light transmissive polymer; b) dissolving said light transmissive polymer in a mesogenic solvent having positive dielectric anisotropy; c) cooling the solution in bulk until said polymer material phase separates from the mesogenic solvent to form a spreadable liquid crystalline paste; and thereafter, d) coating said liquid crystalline paste onto a substrate to form a thin electrically addressable film thereon.
Claim 10
Independent Claim 84 words
A method of producing a thin electrically addressable light modulating liquid crystalline film comprising the steps of: a) polymerizing a monomeric material to form a light transmissive polymer; b) dissolving said light transmissive polymer in a mesogenic solvent having positive dielectric anisotropy; c) cooling the solution in bulk until said polymer material phase separates from the mesogenic solvent to form a spreadable liquid crystalline paste; and thereafter, d) coating said liquid crystalline paste onto a substrate to form a thin electrically addressable film thereon.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 31 words
The method according to claim 8, wherein said monomeric material is added in an amount from about 0.5 to 5% by weight based on the weight of the solvent and monomer.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 19 words
The method according to claim 8, which includes adding nematic liquid crystal as a component of the mesogenic solvent.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 20 words
The method according to claim 10, further including adding cholesteric liquid crystal material as a component of the mesogenic solvent.
Claim 14
Independent Claim 91 words
A method of producing a thin electrically addressable light modulating liquid crystalline film comprising the steps of: a) dissolving a monomeric material in a non-mesogenic solvent; b) polymerizing said monomeric material; c) adding a mesogenic solvent having positive dielectric anisotropy to the bulk solution of monomeric material and non-mesogenic solvent; d) removing said non-mesogenic solvent until the polymerized monomeric material phase separates from said solution to form a spreadable liquid crystalline paste; and thereafter, e) coating said liquid crystalline paste onto a substrate to form a thin electrically addressable film thereon.
Claim 15
Independent Claim 91 words
A method of producing a thin electrically addressable light modulating liquid crystalline film comprising the steps of: a) dissolving a monomeric material in a non-mesogenic solvent; b) polymerizing said monomeric material; c) adding a mesogenic solvent having positive dielectric anisotropy to the bulk solution of monomeric material and non-mesogenic solvent; d) removing said non-mesogenic solvent until the polymerized monomeric material phase separates from said solution to form a spreadable liquid crystalline paste; and thereafter, e) coating said liquid crystalline paste onto a substrate to form a thin electrically addressable film thereon.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 31 words
The method according to claim 12, wherein said monomeric material is added in an amount from about 0.5 to 5% by weight based on the weight of the solvent and monomer.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 20 words
The method according to claim 12, which includes adding nematic liquid crystal material as a component of said mesogenic solvent.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 20 words
The method according to claim 14, further including adding cholesteric liquid crystal material as a component of said mesogenic solvent.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 58 words
An electrically addressable light modulating liquid crystalline paste formed by the process comprising the steps of: a) preparing a solution comprising a polymerizable monomeric material in a mesogenic solvent having positive dielectric anisotropy; b) polymerizing said solution in bulk until said monomeric material polymerizes and phase separates from the mesogenic solvent to form a spreadable liquid crystalline paste.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 58 words
An electrically addressable light modulating liquid crystalline paste formed by the process comprising the steps of: a) preparing a solution comprising a polymerizable monomeric material in a mesogenic solvent having positive dielectric anisotropy; b) polymerizing said solution in bulk until said monomeric material polymerizes and phase separates from the mesogenic solvent to form a spreadable liquid crystalline paste.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 23 words
The liquid crystalline paste according to claim 16, wherein said polymerization is carried out when the mesogenic solvent is in the isotropic phase.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 64 words
An electrically addressable light modulating liquid crystalline paste formed by the process comprising the steps of: a) polymerizing a monomeric material to form a light transmissive polymer; b) dissolving said light transmissive polymer in a mesogenic solvent having positive dielectric anisotropy; c) cooling the solution in bulk until said polymer material phase separates from the mesogenic solvent to form a spreadable liquid crystalline paste.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 64 words
An electrically addressable light modulating liquid crystalline paste formed by the process comprising the steps of: a) polymerizing a monomeric material to form a light transmissive polymer; b) dissolving said light transmissive polymer in a mesogenic solvent having positive dielectric anisotropy; c) cooling the solution in bulk until said polymer material phase separates from the mesogenic solvent to form a spreadable liquid crystalline paste.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 71 words
An electrically addressable light modulating liquid crystalline paste formed by the process comprising the steps of: a) dissolving a monomeric material in a non-mesogenic solvent; b) polymerizing said monomeric material; c) adding a mesogenic solvent having positive dielectric anisotropy to the bulk solution of monomeric material and non-mesogenic solvent; d) removing said non-mesogenic solvent until the polymerized monomeric material phase separates from said solution to form a spreadable liquid crystalline paste.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 71 words
An electrically addressable light modulating liquid crystalline paste formed by the process comprising the steps of: a) dissolving a monomeric material in a non-mesogenic solvent; b) polymerizing said monomeric material; c) adding a mesogenic solvent having positive dielectric anisotropy to the bulk solution of monomeric material and non-mesogenic solvent; d) removing said non-mesogenic solvent until the polymerized monomeric material phase separates from said solution to form a spreadable liquid crystalline paste.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3885982A Cited
US4022706A Cited
US4685771A Cited
US4890902A Cited
US5087387A Cited
EP0313053A2 Cited
US5116528A Cited
US5239474A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1997-11-28 1998-05-30 1998-11-29 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2001-11-28 2002-05-30 2002-11-29 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2005-11-28 2006-05-30 2006-11-29 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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