OPTICAL COMPOSITION
An optical composition is provided, comprising: —a polysilsesquioxane comprising repeating units of the formula [R—SiO 1.5 ], wherein each R independently is hydrogen or a C 1 -C 12 alkyl, aryl, alkene, arylene, alkenyl or alkoxy; —a polysiloxane, optionally substituted; and —particles dispersed in said polysiloxane. The polysilsesquioxane is able to disperse the particles in the polysiloxane, thus providing an optical composition comprising stably dispersed particles. The particles may be utilized to tune the refractive index or another optical property of the composition. Due to the low organics content, the composition has reduced risk of yellowing. The invention also relates to a bonding layer comprising an optical composition, an optical system comprising an optical composition, a method for preparing an optical composition and an optical system, respectively, and the use of a polysilsesquioxane for dispersing particles in a polysiloxane material.
1 . An optical composition comprising:
a polysilsesquioxane comprising repeating units of the formula
[RSiO1.5]
wherein each R independently is hydrogen or a C1-C12 alkyl, aryl, alkene, arylene, alkenyl or alkoxy;
a polysiloxane, optionally substituted; and
particles dispersed in said polysiloxane, wherein said particles lack organic surface modification, and
wherein the polysilsesquioxane stabilizes the particles in the optical composition.
2 . (canceled)
3 . An optical composition according to claim 1 , wherein R is a C1-C12 alkyl or aryl.
4 . An optical composition according to claim 3 , wherein the polysilsesquioxane has a ratio of the number of methyl groups to the total number of R in the range of from 0.2 to 0.8, and/or a ratio of the number of phenyl groups to the total number of R in the range of from 0.2 to 0.8.
5 . An optical composition according to claim 1 , wherein the polysiloxane is a silicone resin.
6 . An optical composition according to claim 1 , wherein the ratio of polysilsesquioxane to polysiloxane is in the range of from 0.5 to 9.
7 . An optical composition according to claim 1 , wherein the particles have a particle size smaller than 100 nm.
8 . An optical composition according to claim 1 , wherein the particles have a particle size in the range of from 100 nm to 5 m.
9 . An optical composition according to claim 1 , wherein the particles comprise at least one oxide selected from the group consisting of: TiO2, BaTiO3, SrTiO3, ZrO2, Al2O3 and SiO2, and mixtures thereof.
10 . An optical composition according to claim 1 , wherein the particles comprise phosphor particles.
11 . An optical bonding layer comprising the optical composition according to claim 1 .
12 . An optical system comprising the optical composition according to claim 1 , a first optical element and a second optical element, wherein the first optical element is optically coupled to the second optical element by the optical composition.
13 . An optical system according to claim 12 , wherein the at least one of the first optical element and the second optical element is a solid-state light source, preferably a LED, an OLED or a laser diode.
14 . A method for preparing an optical composition according to claim 1 comprising the steps of:
a) mixing a polysilsesquioxane with particles in a solvent, which particles lack organic surface modification;
b) milling the mixture from step a) to obtain a desirable average and/or maximum particle size of the mixture;
c) mixing the mixture from step b) with a polysiloxane; and
d) optionally removing excess solvent.
15 . A method for producing an optical system according to claim 12 comprising the steps of:
a) providing a first optical element;
b) applying an optical composition according to claim 1 or an optical composition prepared according to claim 20 on the first optical element;
c) positioning a second optical element in contact with the optical composition; and
d) curing the optical composition or allowing the optical composition to cure.
16 . Use of an optical composition according to claim 1 as an optical adhesive.
17 . Use of a polysilsesquioxane comprising repeating units of the formula
[RSiO1.5]
wherein each R independently is hydrogen or a C1-C12 alkyl, aryl, alkene, arylene, alkenyl or alkoxy;
for dispersing particles in a polysiloxane material, which particles lack organic surface modification.