Property enhancing fillers for transparent coatings and transparent conductive films

Abstract

Optically transparent films can comprise a coating of nanodiamonds to introduce desirable properties, such as hardness, good thermal conductivity and an increased dielectric constant. In general, transparent conductive films can be formed with desirable property enhancing nanoparticles included in a transparent conductive layer and/or in a coating layer. Property enhancing nanoparticles can be formed from materials having a large hardness parameter, a large thermal conductivity and/or a large dielectric constant. Suitable polymers are incorporated as a binder in the layers with the property enhancing nanoparticles. The coatings with property enhancing nanoparticles can be solution coated and corresponding solutions are described.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A solution comprising a solvent, a curable polymer binder and nanoparticles having an average primary particle diameter of no more than about 100 nm and comprising a material having a bulk Vickers Hardness of at least about 1650 HV, a high thermal conductivity material having a bulk thermal conductivity of at least about 30 W/(m·K), a high dielectric material selected from the group consisting of barium titanate, strontium titanate, lead titanate, lead zirconium titanate, calcium copper titanate and mixtures thereof, or a mixture thereof, wherein the curable polymer binder comprises acrylic resin, copolymers thereof or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         22 . The solution of  claim 21  having from about 0.005 wt % to about 5 wt % nanoparticles. 
     
     
         23 . The solution of  claim 21  wherein the nanoparticles comprise nanodiamond. 
     
     
         24 . The solution of  claim 21  wherein the solvent comprises water, ethanol, isopropyl alcohol, isobutyl alcohol, tertiary butyl alcohol, methyl ethyl ketone, methyl isobutyl ketone, cyclic ketones, glycol ethers, toluene, hexane, ethyl acetate, butyl acetate, ethyl lactate, propylene carbonate, dimethyl carbonate, PGMEA (2-methoxy-1-methylethylacetate), N,N-dimethylformamide, N,N-dimethylacetamide, acetonitrile, formic acid, or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         25 . The solution of  claim 21  wherein the curable polymer binder further comprises polysiloxanes, polyurethanes, epoxy containing polymers, copolymers thereof, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         26 . The solution of  claim 21  having a polymer binder concentration from about 0.025 wt % to about 50 wt % and a nanoparticle concentration from 0.005 wt % to about 5 wt %. 
     
     
         27 . The solution of  claim 21  wherein the solvent is non-aqueous. 
     
     
         28 . The solution of  claim 21  wherein the solution can be coated to form a transparent coating with an average thickness of a micron onto a sparse metal conductive element having a pencil hardness of at least about 1 grade greater than the pencil hardness of the transparent coating without the filler and a decrease in the value of total transmission of visible light expressed as a percent due to the transparent coating of no more than about 5. 
     
     
         29 . The solution of  claim 21  wherein the nanoparticles comprise dielectric nanodiamonds at a concentration in the solution from about 0.005 wt % to about 0.05 wt % and wherein the solution can be coated to form a transparent coating with an average thickness of a micron having a decrease in the value of total transmission of visible light expressed as a percent due to the dielectric nanodiamonds of no more than about 5. 
     
     
         30 . A solution comprising a solvent, a curable polymer binder and nanoparticles having an average primary particle diameter of no more than about 100 nm and comprising a material having a bulk Vickers Hardness of at least about 1650 HV, a high thermal conductivity material having a bulk thermal conductivity of at least about 30 W/(m·K), a high dielectric material selected from the group consisting of barium titanate, strontium titanate, lead titanate, lead zirconium titanate, calcium copper titanate and mixtures thereof, or a mixture thereof, wherein the solution has a polymer binder concentration from about 0.025 wt % to about 50 wt % and a solvent concentration of at least about 45%. 
     
     
         31 . The solution of  claim 30  having from about 0.005 wt % to about 5 wt % nanoparticles. 
     
     
         32 . The solution of  claim 30  wherein the nanoparticles comprise dielectric nanodiamond. 
     
     
         33 . The solution of  claim 30  wherein the solvent comprises ethanol, isopropyl alcohol, isobutyl alcohol, tertiary butyl alcohol, methyl ethyl ketone, methyl isobutyl ketone, cyclic ketones, glycol ethers, toluene, hexane, ethyl acetate, butyl acetate, ethyl lactate, propylene carbonate, dimethyl carbonate, PGMEA (2-methoxy-1-methylethylacetate), N,N-dimethylformamide, N,N-dimethylacetamide, acetonitrile, formic acid, or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         34 . The solution of  claim 30  wherein the curable polymer binder comprises polysiloxanes, polysilsesquioxanes, polyurethanes, acrylic resins, acrylic copolymers, cellulose ethers and esters, nitrocellulose, other water insoluble structural polysaccharides, polyethers, polyesters, styrene-acrylate copolymers, styrene-butadiene copolymers, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene copolymers, polysulfides, epoxy containing polymers, copolymers thereof, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         35 . The solution of  claim 30  wherein the curable polymer binder resin comprises polyurethanes, acrylic resins, acrylic copolymers, epoxy containing polymers, copolymers thereof, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         36 . The solution of  claim 30  having from about 0.01 wt % to about 1 wt % nanoparticles. 
     
     
         37 . The solution of  claim 30  wherein the nanoparticles comprise dielectric nanodiamond at a concentration in the solution from about 0.005 wt % to about 0.05 wt % and wherein the solution can be coated to form a transparent coating with an average thickness of a micron and a decrease in the value of total transmission of visible light expressed as a percent due to the nanoparticles of no more than about 5. 
     
     
         38 . A solution comprising a solvent, a curable polymer binder and dielectric nanodiamonds particles having an average primary particle diameter of no more than about 100 nm at a concentration in the solution from about 0.005 wt % to about 0.05 wt %, wherein the solution can be coated to form a transparent coating with an average thickness of a micron and a decrease in the value of total transmission of visible light expressed as a percent due to the nanodiamond particles of no more than about 5. 
     
     
         39 . The solution of  claim 38  wherein the curable polymer binder resin comprises polyurethanes, acrylic resins, acrylic copolymers, epoxy containing polymers, copolymers thereof, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         40 . The solution of  claim 38  having from about 0.01 wt % to about 5 wt % nanoparticles. 
     
     
         41 . The solution of  claim 38  wherein the solvent is non-aqueous. 
     
     
         42 . The solution of  claim 38  wherein the coating is formed on a sparse metal conductive element and has a pencil hardness of at least about 1 grade greater than the pencil hardness of the transparent coating without the filler.