Scaling and coating of continuous multi-material stripes and patterns

Abstract

A hybrid scaling and patterning apparatus for producing thin films with multi-material, customized patterns is disclosed. The apparatus includes a slot die body integrated with multiple inlets and corresponding converging channels passing materials through the die body in a planar, continuous laminar flow. The hybrid scaling and patterning apparatus may be used in a method of preparing multi-material, patterned thin film materials.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 co-laminar flowing of at least a first material and a second material within a slot die; and   depositing from a slot of the slot die a width-wise multi-material stripe pattern of the first and second materials;   wherein the material of adjacent stripes of the width-wise multi-material stripe pattern differ across a width of the slot.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 feeding the first material into the slot die via a set of first inlets; 
 feeding the second material into the slot die via a set of second inlets; and 
 forming a stripe-patterned co-laminar flow in an interaction channel of the slot die; 
 wherein a continuous flow path exists between the first set of inlets and the interaction channel; and 
 wherein a continuous flow path exists between the second set of inlets and the interaction channel. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising controlling uniformity of the width-wise multi-material stripe pattern. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising dimensionally scaling the width-wise multi-material stripe pattern. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the width-wise multi-material stripe pattern is deposited on a surface of a substrate; and
 wherein the substrate is selected from the group consisting of paper, glass, thin plastic film, and thin metallic film.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the first and second materials flow through the slot die in a planar, continuous laminar flow. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the first and second materials flow through the slot die in a planar, continuous creeping flow. 
     
     
         8 . A method comprising:
 feeding two or more fluid materials into a slot die via two or more sets of fluid inlets, each respective fluid material feeding into the slot die via a respective set of fluid inlets; and   depositing a width-wise multi-material stripe pattern of the two or more fluid materials;   wherein adjacent stripes of the width-wise multi-material stripe pattern comprise different fluid materials.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising controlling a width of at least a portion of the stripes in the width-wise multi-material stripe pattern. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising dimensionally scaling at least a portion of the width-wise multi-material stripe pattern. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the slot die comprises a first plate, a second plate, and a shim separating the plates. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising:
 interacting the two or more fluid materials in an interaction channel of the slot die, wherein a continuous fluidic path exists between each set of fluid inlets and the interaction channel; 
 wherein the two or more fluid materials flow through the slot die in a flow selected from the group consisting of a planar, continuous laminar flow and a planar, continuous creeping flow; and 
 wherein the width-wise multi-material stripe pattern is deposited on a surface of a substrate. 
 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein each respective set of the fluid inlets are:
 positioned at a fluid inlet height position between a top and bottom of the slot die, the distance between the top and bottom of the slot die defining a height of the slot die; and   positioned at a fluid inlet width position between a first side and a second side of the slot die, the distance between the sides of the slot die defining a width of the slot die.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein each fluid inlet height position of a respective set of the fluid inlets is the same; and
 wherein each fluid inlet width position of a respective set of the fluid inlets is different;   such that each respective set of the fluid inlets present a horizontal line of spaced-apart fluid inlets.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein each horizontal line of spaced-apart fluid inlets is at a different fluid inlet height position one from another. 
     
     
         16 . A method comprising:
 feeding two or more different fluid materials into a slot die via two or more sets of fluid inlets, each respective fluid material feeding into the slot die via a respective set of fluid inlets;   interacting the two or more different fluid materials in an interaction channel of the slot die, wherein a continuous fluidic path exists between each set of fluid inlets and the interaction channel;   depositing a width-wise multi-material stripe pattern of the two or more different fluid materials on a surface of a substrate; and   at least one of:
 controlling a width of at least a portion of the stripes in the width-wise multi-material stripe pattern; and/or 
 dimensionally scaling at least a portion of the width-wise multi-material stripe pattern; 
   wherein no adjacent stripes of the width-wise multi-material stripe pattern comprise the same fluid material.   
     
     
         17 . An apparatus for depositing the width-wise multi-material stripe pattern according to the method of  claim 1  comprising:
 the slot die; 
 a set of first inlets for the feeding of the first material into the slot die; 
 a set of second inlets for the feeding of the second material into the slot die; and 
 an interaction channel of the slot die for forming a stripe-patterned co-laminar flow of the first material and the second material. 
 
     
     
         18 . An apparatus for depositing the width-wise multi-material stripe pattern according to the method of  claim 8  comprising:
 the slot die; and 
 an interaction channel of the slot die for interacting the two or more fluid materials; 
 wherein a continuous fluidic path exists between each set of fluid inlets and the interaction channel. 
 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18  further comprising outlets;
 wherein a continuous fluidic path exists between each outlet and the interaction channel; and 
 wherein the width-wise multi-material stripe pattern is deposited through at least a portion of the outlets. 
 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the slot die comprises a first plate, a second plate, and a shim separating the plates. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the slot die is a shim-free slot die. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the interaction channel defines a volume extending in a flow direction from an upstream upper portion to a downstream lower portion; and
 wherein the volume of the interaction channel has a converging cross-sectional area from the upstream upper portion to the downstream lower portion.