Electro-optic fiber and methods of making the same
An electro-optic fiber including a conductive fiber, a layer of electro-optic medium on the conductive fiber, and a conductor on the layer of electro-optic medium. A method of making the electro-optic fiber including the steps of coating a conductive fiber with an electro-optic medium and applying a conductor to the electro-optic medium. The resulting fibers can be woven to create a color-changing material, such as a fabric.
1. An electro-optic fiber comprising:
a conductive fiber;
a layer of electro-optic medium on the conductive fiber, wherein the electro-optic medium comprises a binder and a plurality of microcapsules containing a plurality of electrophoretic particles dispersed in a fluid;
a light-transmissive semi-conductive polymeric layer on an outer surface of the electro-optic medium, wherein the light-transmissive semi-conductive polymeric layer comprises a polyacrylate, a poly(meth)acrylate, a polyvinyl alcohol, a gelatin, or a polyvinyl pyrrolidone, and a dopant comprising tetrabutylammonium hexafluorophosphate or 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate; and
a conductor wherein at least a portion of the light-transmissive semi-conductive polymeric layer is between the conductor and the electro-optic medium.
2. The electro-optic fiber of claim 1 , wherein the conductive fiber has a length and a thickness and a ratio of the length to the thickness of the conductive fiber is greater than or equal to 100.
3. The electro-optic fiber of claim 1 , wherein the conductive fiber comprises a conductive metal.
4. The electro-optic fiber of claim 1 , wherein the conductive fiber has a thickness greater than or equal to 20 microns and less than or equal to 250 microns.
5. The electro-optic fiber of claim 1 , wherein the electro-optic medium forms an annular coating about the outer surface of the conductive fiber.
6. The electro-optic fiber of claim 5 , wherein the annular coating has a thickness greater than or equal to 10 microns and less than or equal to 250 microns.
7. The electro-optic fiber of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the light-transmissive semi-conductive polymeric layer is between the conductor and the electro-optic medium.
8. The electro-optic fiber of claim 1 , wherein the light-transmissive semi-conductive polymeric layer forms an annular coating about the outer surface of the electro-optic medium.
9. The electro-optic fiber of claim 8 , wherein the annular coating has a thickness greater than or equal to 5 microns and less than or equal to 200 microns.
10. The electro-optic fiber of claim 1 , wherein the conductor comprises a conductive wire configured as a coil wrapped around the layer of electro-optic medium.
11. The electro-optic fiber of claim 1 , further comprising a layer of a light-transmissive protective coating, wherein the layer of electro-optic medium is between the layer of the light-transmissive protective coating and the conductive fiber.
12. The electro-optic fiber of claim 11 , wherein the light-transmissive protective coating comprises a material selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl alcohol, gelatin, polyurethane, acrylates, urethane acrylate co-polymers, and blends thereof.
13. The electro-optic fiber of claim 1 , wherein the conductor comprises a light-transmissive layer of conductive material.
14. The electro-optic fiber of claim 13 , wherein the conductive material is selected from the group consisting of ITO, PEDOT:PSS, carbon nanotubes, graphene, and composite electrodes, and combinations thereof.
15. The electro-optic fiber of claim 13 , wherein the light-transmissive conductive material forms an annular coating about the outer surface of the electro-optic medium.
16. The electro-optic fiber of claim 1 further comprising a layer of dielectric material between the conductive fiber and the conductor.
17. The electro-optic fiber of claim 16 , wherein the layer of dielectric material forms an annular coating about the outer surface of the conductive fiber.