Fine encapsulation of dual-particle electronic ink by incorporating block copolymer for electrophoretic display application

Abstract

The design of the oppositely charged ink particles based on titanium dioxide and carbon black for the monochrome electrophoretic display (EPD) was reported. The white ink particles with acidic surface and black ink particles with basic surface were synthesized and sterically stabilized by long alkyl chains, which were charged oppositely by mixing with basic surfactant (OLOA 1200) and acidic surfactant (Span 80), respectively. The electrophoretic mobility and the Zeta potential were −3.87×10−10m2V−1s−1 and −25.1mV for the white ink particles, 3.79×10−10m2V−1s−1 and 24.6mV for the black ink particles. In addition, the block copolymer, poly(lauryl methacrylate)-b-poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) (PLMA-b-PDMAEMA) synthesized by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP), was first incorporated in the modification of the pigments for the fine encapsulation. Then, a stable dual-particle electronic ink with contrast ratio of 120:1 was prepared and encapsulated with the gelatin (GE)/sodium carboxymethylcellulose (NaCMC)/sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) microcapsules by complex coacervation method. Finally, the matrix character display prototype driven at a low voltage exhibited excellent performance, the contrast ratio of which was 8:1 at 9V DC.