Novel systems, methods, and compositions relating to display elements

Abstract

A display element is described. The display element includes: a network; a continuous phase; and a discontinuous mobile phase, which is capable of responding to an externally applied electric field such that under influence of the externally applied electric field, without effecting bulk movement of the continuous phase, the mobile phase displaces from one location to another location through or within the network. A process of manufacturing a display cell is also described. The process includes: obtaining a pair of electrodes; placing a network between the electrodes; assembling the electrodes and the network to form a sub-assembly; and injecting into the subassembly a discontinuous phase.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A process of manufacturing an electroresponsive ink, comprising:
 obtaining a liquid;   obtaining a dye or pigment; and   solubilizing in said liquid said dye or pigment such that in its solubilized state said dye or pigment is at least one of charged, has a dipole moment, or is polarizable under the influence of an externally applied electric field.   
     
     
         2 . A composition of material inside a display unit, comprising:
 a liquid; and   a dye or pigment including at least a portion that is polarizable or has a dipole moment or is charged when said dye or pigment is in a solubilized state in said liquid.   
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 2 , further comprising a network. 
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 2 , wherein said liquid is electrically insulating. 
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 2 , wherein said liquid contains at least one member selected from a group consisting of: polar solvent, non-polar solvent, organic solvent, inorganic solvent, oil, liquid crystal, block copolymers, surfactants, micelles, emulsions, particles, polymers, dissolved salts, water, dyes, and ionic liquids. 
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 3 , wherein said network includes at least one material selected from a group consisting of titanium dioxide, aluminum dioxide, metal oxides, barium sulfate, glass (silica) particles, and zeolites. 
     
     
         7 . The composition of  claim 3 , wherein said network comprises one or more fibrous or porous networks, wherein the one or more fibrous or porous networks comprises at least one material selected from a group consisting of glass wool, cotton, nanowires and cellulose, carbon nanotubes, talc or silicates, natural fibers and synthetic fibers. 
     
     
         8 . The composition of  claim 3 , wherein said network further comprises a polymer matrix, wherein the polymer matrix comprises at least one member selected from a group consisting of chemically crosslinked polymer matrix, physically crosslinked polymer matrix and uncrosslinked polymer matrix, and wherein said polymer matrix comprises a polymer including at least one member selected from a group consisting of polystyrene, silicon dioxide, silicon dioxide derivatives, polyacrylonitrile, polypropylene, liquid crystal polymers, conductive polymers, fluorinated polymers, halogenated polymers, and polymethylsiloxanes. 
     
     
         9 . The composition of  claim 3 , wherein said network contains chemical or physical sites to which said dye or pigment displaces when said display element is subjected to an externally applied electric field. 
     
     
         10 . The composition of  claim 8 , wherein said polymer has at least one property selected from a group consisting of charged, uncharged, hydrophobic, hydrophilic, randomly oriented and aligned. 
     
     
         11 . The composition of  claim 3 , wherein said network is made from at least one material selected from a group consisting of micro-fabricated transparent films, micro-fabricated reflective films, micro-fabricated colored films, nano-fabricated transparent films and nano-fabricated reflective films and nanofabricated colored films. 
     
     
         12 . The composition of  claim 3 , wherein said network includes at least one member selected from a group consisting of porous filtration media, porous transparent films and porous reflective films. 
     
     
         13 . The composition of  claim 2 , wherein said dye or pigment comprises a first dye or pigment and a second dye or pigment. 
     
     
         14 . The composition of  claim 13 , wherein at least one of said first dye or pigment and said second dye or pigment is solubilized in said liquid with at least one member selected from a group consisting of surfactants, block copolymers, amphiphilic molecules and DNA. 
     
     
         15 . The composition of  claim 2 , wherein said first dye or pigment and said second dye or pigment are chemically engineered to be soluble in said liquid by forming conjugates of said first dye or pigment and said second dye or pigment with small molecules or polymeric chains. 
     
     
         16 . The composition of  claim 2 , wherein said dye or pigment includes at least one member selected from a group consisting of organic dyes, inorganic dyes, ionic dyes, polarizable dyes, quantum dots, organic pigments, metal ions, fluorescent dyes, carbon black, carbon nanotubes, colored silica nanoparticles, colored polymeric nanoparticles, and metallic nanoparticles containing sequestered dye on the interior or on the surface. 
     
     
         17 . The composition of  claim 2 , wherein said dye or pigment includes at least one member selected from a group consisting of surfactant-stabilized dye complex and polymer-stabilized dye complex. 
     
     
         18 . The composition of  claim 2 , wherein said liquid is an organic, non-conductive liquid, including a non-polar liquid selected from a group consisting of alkanes, alkenes, alkynes and aromatic liquids of any relevant chain length or molecular weight, and wherein said liquid includes monomeric or polymeric compounds that are linear or branched and at least one member or derivative thereof selected from a group consisting of alkanes, alkenes, alkynes and aromatic liquids of any relevant chain length or molecular weight. 
     
     
         19 . The composition of  claim 3 , further comprising at least one additional chemical component used within said liquid, said network, or said dye or pigment, and wherein said additional chemical components include at least one member selected from a group consisting of ionic liquids, salts, polymers, surfactants, aluminum bromide, hexafluorophosphate and tri-n-alkylphosphine.