Stabilized print materials
A print material includes a vinylic molecule, a vinylic cross-linker molecule having a plurality of vinyl groups, a quantum dot, a light-scattering particle having a surface composition, and a dispersant having a chemical affinity matched to the surface composition. Methods of making and using such print materials are also described.
1 . A method of making a print material, comprising:
adding quantum dots to a curable material to form a quantum dot mixture;
mixing the quantum dot mixture;
adding a polymer dispersant to the mixed quantum dot mixture to form a quantum dot precursor, wherein the polymer dispersant has a chemical affinity matched to a surface composition of a light-scattering particle;
mixing the quantum dot precursor;
adding the light-scattering particle to the mixed quantum dot precursor to make a print material; and
mixing the print material.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the dispersant also has a chemical affinity that is matched to a surface composition of the quantum dots.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymer dispersant has an acidic anchor group.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymer dispersant has a functional group selected from the group consisting of a hydroxyl group, an amine group, an alcohol group, a carboxylic acid group, an acidic pendant group, a phosphate group, a phosphonate group, a phosphoric acid group, a phosphorus acid group, a phosphonic acid group, a sulfate group, a sulfinic acid group, a nitrate group, a pyridyl group, a carboxylate group, a silyl group, or a combination thereof.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein adding the light-scattering particle to the mixed quantum dot precursor comprises adding a suspension of light-scattering particles in a solvent to the mixed quantum dot precursor.
6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the polymer dispersant is a first polymer dispersant, and further comprising adding a second polymer dispersant to the suspension of light-scattering particles.
7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein each of the first polymer dispersant and the second polymer dispersant comprises the same dispersant material.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the print material has between about 10 wt % and about 30 wt % solids.
9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the print material has a concentration of dispersant that is between about 2 wt % and about 9 wt %.
10 . A method of making a print material, comprising:
forming a quantum dot precursor by adding quantum dots to a curable material containing a polymer dispersant;
mixing the quantum dot precursor;
forming a light-scattering precursor by adding light-scattering particles to a liquid medium containing a polymer dispersant;
mixing the light-scattering precursor; and
blending the mixed light-scattering precursor with the mixed quantum dot precursor to make a print material.
11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the polymer dispersant of one or both of the dispersant of the quantum dot precursor and the dispersant of the light-scattering precursor has an acidic anchor group.
12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the dispersant of the quantum dot precursor is the same as the dispersant of the light-scattering precursor.
13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the first polymer dispersant of one or both of the dispersant of the quantum dot precursor and the dispersant of the light-scattering precursor, has a functional group selected from the group consisting of a hydroxyl group, an amine group, an alcohol group, a carboxylic acid group, an acidic pendant group, a phosphate group, a phosphonate group, a phosphoric acid group, a phosphorus acid group, a phosphonic acid group, a sulfate group, a sulfinic acid group, a nitrate group, a pyridyl group, a carboxylate group, a silyl group, or a combination thereof.
14 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising adding a polymer dispersant to the print material, wherein the dispersant added to the print material is the same as the dispersant added to the quantum dot precursor and to the light-scattering precursor.
15 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the print material has between about 10 wt % and about 30 wt % solids.
16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the print material has a concentration of dispersant that is between about 2 wt % and about 9 wt %.
17 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the polymer dispersant of the quantum dot precursor and the light-scattering precursor are each selected from the group consisting of polyether, polyester, polyol, polyolefin (including polyacrylate, poly alpha olefin, polystyrene, polyvinyl resin, diolefin polymers, and copolymers and multipolymers thereof), polyphosphonate, polycarbonate, silicone, and combinations thereof.
18 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the first polymer dispersant of one or both of the dispersant of the quantum dot precursor and the dispersant of the light-scattering precursor has a plurality of anchor groups, each anchor group selected from the group consisting of phosphate, phosphonate, phosphoric acid, phosphorus acid, phosphonic acid, sulfate, sulfinic acid, amine, nitrate, pyridyl, carboxylate, silyl, and carboxylic acid.
19 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the polymer dispersant of one or both of the dispersant of the quantum dot precursor and the dispersant of the light-scattering precursor has a chemical affinity for the quantum dots, the light-scattering particles, or both, that is acid/base ionic affinity, affinity based on steric hindrance, affinity based on solubility, or affinity based on electrostatic forces.
20 . A method of making a print material, comprising:
forming a quantum dot precursor by adding quantum dots to a curable material containing a polymer dispersant;
mixing the quantum dot precursor;
forming a light-scattering precursor by adding light-scattering particles to a liquid medium containing a polymer dispersant;
mixing the light-scattering precursor; and
blending the mixed light-scattering precursor with the mixed quantum dot precursor to make a print material,
wherein the polymer dispersant of one or both of the quantum dot precursor and the light-scattering precursor comprises a material selected from the group consisting of polyether, polyester, polyol, polyolefin (including polyacrylate, poly alpha olefin, polystyrene, polyvinyl resin, diolefin polymers, and copolymers and multipolymers thereof), polyphosphonate, polycarbonate, silicone, and combinations thereof, and having one or more anchor groups selected from the group consisting of phosphate, phosphonate, phosphoric acid, phosphorus acid, phosphonic acid, sulfate, sulfinic acid, amine, nitrate, pyridyl, carboxylate, silyl, and carboxylic acid.