Microcapsule and its uses
View Patent ↗Objects of the present invention are to provide a microcapsule which can effectively and easily achieve: the prevention and adjustment of the bleeding-out of the encapsulated liquid substance from the capsule shell; and the enhancement and adjustment of the physical strength of the microcapsule; and to further provide a sheet and an electrophoretic display, both of which involve using the above microcapsules. As means of achieving these objects, the microcapsule according to the present invention is a microcapsule comprising a shell and a liquid substance that is encapsulated in the shell, with the microcapsule being characterized in that the shell contains fine particles having particle diameters of not larger than 1 μm. And the sheet according to the present invention comprises the microcapsules according to the present invention and a binder resin or comprises the microcapsules according to the present invention and a base material. And the electrophoretic display according to the present invention has as a constitutional portion a portion which includes opposite electrode films and the microcapsules according to the present invention, wherein at least either one of the opposite electrode films is transparent, and wherein the microcapsules are disposed between the opposite electrode films.
1. A microcapsule, which is a microcapsule comprising a shell and a liquid substance that is encapsulated in the shell, with the microcapsule being characterized in that the shell contains organic polymer fine particles having particle diameters of not larger than 1 μm.
2. A microcapsule according to claim 1 , wherein the liquid substance is a dispersion including a solvent and electrophoretic fine particles that are dispersed in the solvent.
3. An electrophoretic display, having as a constitutional portion a portion which includes opposite electrode films and microcapsules, wherein at least either one of the opposite electrode films is transparent, and wherein the microcapsules are disposed between the opposite electrode films, and wherein the microcapsules comprise a shell containing fine particles having a particle diameter of not larger than 1 μm, and a liquid substance encapsulated in the shell, the liquid substance being a dispersion including a solvent and electrophoretic fine particles dispersed in the solvent.
4. A sheet comprising a microcapsule and a binder resin, wherein said microcapsule comprises a shell and a liquid substance that is encapsulated in the shell, with the microcapsule being characterized in that the shell contains organic fine particles having particle diameters of not larger than 1 μm.
5. A sheet according to claim 4 , wherein the organic fine particles are fine polymer particles.
6. A sheet according to claim 4 , wherein the liquid substance is a dispersion including a solvent and electrophoretic fine particles that are dispersed in the solvent.
7. A sheet comprising a microcapsule and a base material, wherein said microcapsule comprises a shell and a liquid substance that is encapsulated in the shell, with the microcapsule being characterized in that the shell contains organic fine particles having particle diameters of not larger than 1 μm.
8. A sheet according to claim 7 , wherein the organic fine particles are fine polymer particles.
9. A sheet according to claim 7 , wherein the liquid substance is a dispersion including a solvent and electrophoretic fine particles that are dispersed in the solvent.