Patent · US Expired

Negative birefringent rigid rod polymer films

US5580950A · kind A · utility

64Cited by
13References
9Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 13, 1994
Grant dateDec 3, 1996
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 13, 2014

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10T428/31725
  • WIPO fieldMacromolecular chemistry, polymers
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

A class of soluble polymers having a rigid rod backbone, which when used to cast films, undergo a self-orientation process whereby the polymer backbone becomes more or less aligned parallel to the film surface. This in-plane orientation results in a film that displays negative birefringence. The degree of in-plane orientation and thus, the magnitude of the negative birefringence is controlled by varying the backbone linearity and rigidity of the class of polymers which includes polyesters, polyamides, poly(amide-imides) and poly(ester-imides) through selection of substituents in the polymer backbone chain. By increasing the polymer backbone linearity and rigidity, the degree of in-plane orientation and associated negative birefringence can be increased, and that conversely, by decreasing the polymer backbone linearity and rigidity, the negative birefringence can be decreased.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.