Effective Optical Diffuser Based on Interfacial Hydrogen-Bonding Polymer Complexation

Abstract

Optical diffusion is an essential photon management process for various photoelectronic systems. This work proposes an approach to fabricate optical diffuser by interfacial hydrogen-bonding polymer complexation, which is performed on transparent substrates with layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly. The hierarchical microparticles formed by stepwise interfacial polymer complexation are strong light-scattering units that result in the effect of optical diffusion. Furthermore, one polymer is replaced by the dispersed polymer complex nanoparticles (CNP) for LbL assembly to fabricate the optical diffuser, and light diffusion performance is tremendously enhanced while the assembly time is significantly shortened. The optimized PVPON/CNP film shows outstanding performance among recent reports. Compared with commercially available optical diffuser for backlight unit of liquid crystal display under the same test protocol, PVPON/CNP film exhibits matchable haze value (H) with a much higher transmittance value (T) and light intensity utilization efficiency (E).

Novel optical diffuser based on fiberform nanostructure by efficient plasma route

“…Though the characterization methods of the optical diffusers listed in Table 1 are different, the TDF results show that the optical diffusion performance of the 30 minute sample is excellent. Commercial PET-D 73 68 [32] Oxidized cellulose nanofibril 75 74 [33] Polysiloxane@CeO 2 @PMMA microspheres 75 68 [34] Organosiloxane-coated SiO 2 /CeO 2 microspheres 82 69 [35] 3D flower-like hollow Mg-Al layer double hydroxide microsphere 84 74 [36] TEMPO-oxided wood fibers 85 53 [37] Celluose nanocrystal 85 72 [33]…”

A comprehensive review of optical diffusers: progress and prospects

“…52 Yang et al have proposed an approach to fabricate an optical diffuser by interfacial hydrogen-bonding polymer complexation; one polymer has been replaced by the dispersed polymer complex nanoparticles (NPs) for the layer-by-layer (L-B-L) assembly of poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVPON) and poly (acrylic acid) (PAA), and light diffusion performance has been enhanced. [53][54][55][56] Stretchable and bendable optical diffusers are indispensable components in wearable display devices by constructing interfacial hydrogen bonding among methylcellulose (MC), poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO), and polymer complex nanoparticles (PCNP), which exhibits 92% transmittance, 93% haze, and 73% elongation. When in the stretching state, 88% transmittance and 93% haze is achieved.…”

“…57,58 The incorporation of various micro-to-nanometer scale structures onto the glass substrate helps light to escape from OLEDs, leading to higher external quantum efficiency (EQE). 54 Suh et al have fabricated a nanoporous polymer film as well as light extraction component, which redistributes light propagation to realize almost ideal light distribution with an enhanced EQE. 59 Hierarchical mesoporous silica NPs act as superb light scattering materials due to multiple scattering at the interfaces between different particles and air; the optical path difference between adjacent particles increases, which enhances the photoelectric conversion efficiency (PCE) of solar cells.…”

Polymer Complex Multilayers for Drug Delivery and Medical Devices

“…Our previous work demonstrated that an optical diffuser presenting an improved diffusion performance could be obtained from the LBL assembly of PVPON and polymer complexation nanoparticles (PCNPs) on a substrate through hydrogen bonding (Figure 6a). 68 To enhance the softness of the optical diffusing layer to match with a flexible poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) substrate, we then introduced poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) (whose chain has good flexibility) to the system. The resulting functional layer retained its integrity upon drying and presented excellent antibending capability.…”