Ink compositions with high quantum dot concentrations for display devices

Abstract

Organic ligand-capped quantum dots and curable ink compositions containing the organic ligand-capped quantum dots are provided. Also provided are thin films formed from the ink compositions.

1 - 26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . A photonic device comprising:
 a photonic device substrate; and   a crosslinked polymer film on the photonic device substrate, the crosslinked polymer film comprising:
 crosslinked polymer chains comprising polymerized di(meth)acrylate monomers or a combination of polymerized di(meth)acrylate monomers and mono(meth)acrylate monomers; 
 a diluent comprising a polyether group and a crosslinkable group; and 
 quantum dots with hydrophilic ligands bound to their surfaces, wherein the hydrophilic ligands comprise ester ligands, ether ligands, or a combination of ester ligands and ether ligands. 
   
     
     
         28 . The photonic device of  claim 27 , wherein the device substrate is a light guide plate and the photonic device is a liquid crystal display device. 
     
     
         29 . The photonic device of  claim 27 , wherein the crosslinked polymer film is in a sub-pixel cell of a color filter and the photonic device is a liquid crystal display device. 
     
     
         30 . The photonic device of  claim 27 , wherein the hydrophilic ligands comprise polydentate ligands having two or more head groups bound to the surface of a quantum dot. 
     
     
         31 . The photonic device of  claim 27 , wherein the polydentate ligands are bidentate ligands having two head groups bound to the surface of a quantum dot. 
     
     
         32 . The photonic device of  claim 27 , wherein the head groups comprise carboxylate groups. 
     
     
         33 . The photonic device of  claim 27 , wherein the hydrophilic ligands comprise ligand backbone chains, the ligand backbone chains comprising from 16 to 24 carbon atoms. 
     
     
         34 . The photonic device of  claim 27 , wherein the hydrophilic ligands comprise tail groups that are crosslinkable with the (meth)acrylate monomer. 
     
     
         35 . The photonic device of  claim 27 , wherein the tail groups comprise maleimide groups. 
     
     
         36 . The photonic device of  claim 34 , wherein the tail groups comprise acrylate groups. 
     
     
         37 . The photonic device of  claim 34 , wherein the tail groups comprise methacrylate groups. 
     
     
         38 . The photonic device of  claim 34 , wherein the tail groups comprise styrene groups. 
     
     
         39 . The photonic device of  claim 27 , wherein the tail groups comprise alkylene oxide groups. 
     
     
         40 . The photonic device of  claim 39 , wherein the alkylene oxide groups comprise ethylene oxide groups or propylene oxide groups. 
     
     
         41 . The photonic device of  claim 27 , wherein the crosslinkable group of the diluent comprises a maleimide group, a norbornene group, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         42 . A method of forming a quantum dot-containing film on a device substrate, the method comprising:
 inkjet printing a layer of a curable ink composition on the surface of a device substrate, the ink composition comprising:   di(meth)acrylate monomers or a combination of di(meth)acrylate monomers and mono(meth)acrylate monomers;
 a diluent comprising a polyether group and a crosslinkable group; 
 a multifunctional (meth)acrylate crosslinking agent comprising at least three acrylate functionalities; and 
 quantum dots with hydrophilic ligands bound to their surfaces, wherein the hydrophilic ligands comprise ester ligands, ether ligands, or a combination of ester ligands and ether ligands; and 
 curing the curable ink composition. 
   
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the ink composition comprises:
 30 wt. % to 96 wt. % of the (meth)acrylate monomer;   1 wt. % to 10 wt. % of the diluent comprising a polyether group and a crosslinkable group;   3 wt. % to 10 wt. % of the multifunctional (meth)acrylate crosslinking agent; and   wt. % to 50 wt. % of the quantum dots with the hydrophilic ligands bound to their surfaces.   
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the hydrophilic ligands comprise tail groups that are crosslinkable with the (meth)acrylate monomer. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 44 , further comprising crosslinking the tail groups of the hydrophilic ligands with (meth)acrylate groups of the (meth)acrylate monomer. 
     
     
         46 . An ink composition comprising:
 di(meth)acrylate monomers or a combination of di(meth)acrylate monomers and mono(meth)acrylate monomers;   a diluent comprising a polyether group and a crosslinkable group;   a multifunctional (meth)acrylate crosslinking agent comprising at least three acrylate functionalities; and   quantum dots with hydrophilic ligands bound to their surfaces, wherein the hydrophilic ligands comprise ester ligands, ether ligands, or a combination of ester ligands and ether ligands.