Ink for color filter, method of fabricating color filter using the ink, and color filter fabricated by the method

1. An ink for a color filter, comprising:

a polymer binder,

a crosslinking monomer,

a solvent,

a pigment, and

a polymerization initiator,

wherein the polymer binder consists of a main polymer of Formula 1 or Formula 2, wherein a hydroxy group containing acrylate or methacrylate monomer of the polymer binder is 10 to 50% by weight, based on the total weight of the polymer binder:

wherein R is hydrogen or a methyl group, X is hydrogen, a C 1-18 alkyl group, a C 6-18 aryl group, a halogen group, a nitro group, or a C 1-18 alkoxy group, and each of m, n, and o is independently an integer that is greater than 1 and less than or equal to 10,000;

wherein, R is hydrogen or a methyl group, X is hydrogen, a C 1-18 alkyl group, a C 6-18 aryl group, a halogen group, a nitro group, or a C 1-18 alkoxy group, and each of m, n, and o is independently an integer that is greater than 1 and less than or equal to 10,000.

2. The ink of claim 1 , wherein the polymer binder has a weight-average molecular weight of 15,000 to 20,000.

3. The ink of claim 1 , wherein the crosslinking monomer comprises a multifunctional epoxy resin with two or more epoxy groups on each molecule.

4. The ink of claim 3 , wherein the crosslinking monomer further comprises a melamine derivative.

5. The ink of claim 3 , wherein the crosslinking monomer further comprises 1,4-butandioldiacrylate, 1,3-butyleneglycoldiacrylate, ethylene glycol diacrylate, pentaerythritol tetraacrylate, triethylene glycol diacrylate, polyethylene glycol diacrylate, dipentaerythritol diacrylate, sorbitol triacrylate, trimethylol propane triacrylate, dipentaerythritol polyacrylates, or dipentaerythritol polymethacrylates, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing crosslinking monomers.

6. The ink of claim 1 , wherein the solvent comprises diethylene glycol ethyl ether, diethylene glycol 2-ethylhexyl ether, diethylene glycol hexyl ether, diethylene glycol methyl ether, diethylene glycol butyl ether, dipropylene glycol tert-butyl ether, dipropylene glycol methyl ether, dipropylene glycol propyl ether, tripropylene glycol, tripropylene glycol butyl ether, tripropylene glycol methyl ether, tripropylene glycol propyl ether, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing solvents.

7. The ink of claim 6 , wherein the solvent has a boiling point of 230 to 250° C.

8. The ink of any one of claim 1 , wherein the pigment is provided as a pigment dispersion comprising 15 to 20 wt % of solids based on the total weight of pigment dispersion, wherein the solids comprises a combination of the pigment and a dispersant.

9. The ink of claim 8 , wherein the ink comprises 5 to 15 wt % of polymer binder, 2 to 8 wt % of crosslinking monomer, 40 to 50 wt % of the pigment dispersion, and 0.5 to 1 wt % of the polymerization initiator, based on the total weight of polymer binder, crosslinking monomer, pigment dispersion, polymerization initiator, and solvent.

10. The ink of claim 1 , wherein the ink contains a number of hydrophilic groups sufficient to wet a black matrix wall surface and a glass substrate.

11. A color filter comprising the cure product of the ink of claim 1 .

12. A method of fabricating a color filter, comprising:

forming black matrix patterns on a surface of a substrate; and

forming a color filter by dispensing an ink within the black matrix patterns, wherein the ink comprises

a polymer binder,

a crosslinking monomer,

a solvent,

a pigment, and

a polymerization initiator,

wherein the polymer binder consists of a main polymer of Formula 1 or Formula 2, wherein a hydroxy group containing acrylate or methacrylate monomer of the polymer binder is 10 to 50% by weight, based on the total weight of the polymer binder:

wherein R is hydrogen or a methyl group, X is hydrogen, a C 1-18 alkyl group, a C 6-18 aryl group, a halogen group, a nitro group, or a C 1-18 alkoxy group, and each of m, n, and o is independently an integer that is greater than 1 and less than or equal to 10,000;

wherein, R is hydrogen or a methyl group, X is hydrogen, a C 1-18 alkyl group, a C 6-18 aryl group, a halogen group, a nitro group, or a C 1-18 alkoxy group, and each of m, n, and o is independently an integer that is greater than 1 and less than or equal to 10,000.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the ink is uniformly spread on the substrate, and wherein a color filter pixel prepared thereby has low curvature when compared to a color filter pixel prepared using a polymer binder without hydroxy groups.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the black matrix patterns are formed of an opaque organic material.

15. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

forming an overcoating layer on a surface of the black matrix patterns and the color filter opposite the substrate; and

forming a transparent electrode on a surface of the overcoating layer opposite the black matrix patterns and color filter.

16. A color filter fabricated by the method of claim 12 .

17. A color filter, comprising:

a patterned organic black matrix having wall surfaces, and

a cure product of an ink comprising

a polymer binder,

a crosslinking monomer,

a solvent,

a pigment, and

a polymerization initiator;

wherein the cure product of the ink is disposed within the patterned organic black matrix and in contact with the wall surfaces, and the patterned black matrix and cure product of the ink are disposed on a surface of a substrate,

wherein the polymer binder consists of a main polymer of Formula 1 or Formula 2, wherein a hydroxy group containing acrylate or methacrylate monomer of the polymer binder is 10 to 50% by weight, based on the total weight of the polymer binder:

wherein R is hydrogen or a methyl group, X is hydrogen, a C 1-18 alkyl group, a C 6-18 aryl group, a halogen group, a nitro group, or a C 1-18 alkoxy group, and each of m, n, and o is independently an integer that is greater than 1 and less than or equal to 10,000;

wherein, R is hydrogen or a methyl group, X is hydrogen, a C 1-18 alkyl group, a C 6-18 aryl group, a halogen group, a nitro group, or a C 1-18 alkoxy group, and each of m, n, and o is independently an integer that is greater than 1 and less than or equal to 10,000.