Process for preparing a display panel
View Patent ↗This application is directed to processes for preparing electrophoretic displays and semi-finished display panels comprising display cells prepared from the microcup and top-sealing technologies. The semi-finished display panel comprises an array of display cells sandwiched between two temporary substrate layers, between a temporary substrate layer and a conductor layer or between a temporary substrate layer and a permanent substrate layer, wherein said display cells are filled with an electrophoretic fluid and top-sealed with a polymeric sealing layer formed from a top-sealing composition which is being hardened while on top of the electrophoretic fluid.
1. A process for preparing a display panel comprising the steps in the sequence of:
a) forming microcups on a conductor layer which is on a plastic substrate;
b) filling the microcups with an electrophoretic fluid;
c) overcoating a top-sealing composition on top of the electrophoretic fluid; and
d) hardening the top-sealing composition while on top of the electrophoretic fluid, to form a top-sealing layer to seal the microcups filled with the electrophoretic fluid.
2. The process of claim 1 , further comprising applying a release liner over the filled and top-sealed microcups.
3. The process of claim 2 , wherein the release liner is applied with an adhesive layer.
4. The process of claim 2 , wherein the release liner is formed from a material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene terephthalate, polycarbonate, polyethylene, polypropylene, paper, a laminate thereof and a cladding film thereof.
5. The process of claim 1 , wherein said top-sealing composition is a thermoplastic precursor composition or a thermoset precursor composition.
6. The process of claim 1 , wherein the top-sealing composition comprises a material selected from the group consisting of polyvalent acrylates, polyvalent methacrylates, cyanoacrylates, polyvalent vinyls, polyvalent epoxides, polyvalent isocyanates, polyvalent allyls, and oligomers or polymers comprising a crosslinkable functional group.
7. The process of claim 1 , wherein the conductor layer is an ITO conductor layer.
8. The process of claim 1 , further comprising adding an auxiliary layer over the plastic substrate.
9. The process of claim 8 , wherein the auxiliary layer is an anti-scratch layer.
10. The process of claim 8 , wherein the auxiliary layer is an anti-glare layer.
11. The process of claim 10 , wherein the anti-glare layer comprises a particulate filler.
12. The process of claim 8 , wherein the auxiliary layer is an anti-smudge layer.