Liquid crystal panel structures containing functionalized graphene layers and methods of preparing functionalized graphene layers

Abstract

The present application provides a liquid crystal panel structure containing a functionalized graphene layer and a method of preparing a functionalized graphene layer. In the liquid crystal panel structure containing a functionalized graphene layer of the present application, the functionalized graphene layer thereof simultaneously plays effects of transparent conductivity and liquid crystal alignment, an alignment process that subsequently uses an alignment material is not necessary, the fabrication process and film structures of the liquid crystal panel are greatly simplified. The method of preparing the functionalized graphene layer of the present application sufficiently utilizes superiority of transparent conductivity of the graphene, and modifiability of the graphene surface, to endow the graphene with an effect of liquid crystal molecule alignment, the functionalized graphene layer prepared thereby has transparency, conductivity and alignment function.

Claims

1. A liquid crystal panel structure containing a functionalized graphene layer, comprising oppositely disposed an upper substrate and a lower substrate, and a liquid crystal layer disposed between the upper substrate and the lower substrate; wherein a side of the upper substrate near the liquid crystal layer has a functionalized graphene layer disposed thereon; the functionalized graphene layer is a functionalized graphene film having a graphene surface grafted with liquid crystal vertical alignment molecules, a molecule structural formula of the liquid crystal vertical alignment molecules is: ##STR00011## wherein R is: ##STR00012## m is an integer of 15, n is an integer of 1530; the liquid crystal layer comprises liquid crystal molecules, and the liquid crystal vertical alignment molecules grafted on the graphene surface, vertically aligns the liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer.

2. The liquid crystal panel structure containing a functionalized graphene layer according to claim 1, wherein a side of the lower substrate near the liquid crystal layer has a functionalized graphene layer disposed thereon, a surface of a side of the functionalized graphene layer near the liquid crystal layer has been rubbed, to provide a pre-inclination angle for the liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer.

3. The liquid crystal panel structure containing a functionalized graphene layer according to claim 1, wherein an ITO electrode layer and an alignment film layer are successively bottom up disposed on a side of the lower substrate near the liquid crystal layer, the alignment film layer provides a pre-inclination angle for the liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer.

4. The liquid crystal panel structure containing a functionalized graphene layer according to claim 1, wherein the upper substrate is a color film substrate, and the lower substrate is a TFT array substrate.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The technical features and other advantages of the present application will become more readily apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art, by referring the following detailed description of embodiments of the present application in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

(2) In the accompanying drawings,

(3) FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a structure of a liquid crystal panel containing functionalized graphene layer according to a first embodiment of the present application;

(4) FIG. 2 schematically illustrates a structure of a liquid crystal panel containing functionalized graphene layer according to a second embodiment of the present application;

(5) FIG. 3 is a flowchart schematically illustrating a method of preparing a functionalized graphene film of the present application;

(6) FIG. 4 schematically illustrates a reaction of functionalizing the graphene oxide in step 1 of the method of preparing the functionalized graphene film of the present application; and

(7) FIG. 5 schematically illustrates a reaction of reducing the functionalized graphene oxide in step 3 of the method of preparing the functionalized graphene film of the present application.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(8) In order to further clarify the technical means adopted in the present application and the effects thereof, the preferable embodiments of the present application and the accompanying drawings thereof will be more specifically described as follows.

(9) Please refer to FIG. 1, which schematically illustrates a structure of a liquid crystal panel containing functionalized graphene layer according to a first embodiment of the present application, the liquid crystal panel structure containing functionalized graphene layer includes oppositely disposed an upper substrate 10 and a lower substrate 20, and a liquid crystal layer 30 disposed between the upper substrate 10 and the lower substrate 20.

(10) Specifically, a side of the upper substrate 10 near the liquid crystal layer 30 has a functionalized graphene layer 40 disposed thereon.

(11) Specifically, the functionalized graphene layer 40 is a functionalized graphene film, and the functionalized graphene film is a film of graphene surface grafted with liquid crystal vertical alignment molecules.

(12) Specifically, materials of the liquid crystal layer 30 include liquid crystal molecules 31, liquid crystal vertical alignment molecules in materials of the functionalized graphene layer 40 graft on the graphene surface, to vertically align the liquid crystal molecules 31 in the liquid crystal layer 30.

(13) Specifically, a molecule structural formula of the liquid crystal vertical alignment molecules is

(14) ##STR00007##

(15) wherein R is

(16) ##STR00008##
m is an integer of 15, n is an integer of 1530; preferably, m is an integer of 24, n is an integer of 1624.

(17) Specifically, by forming silicon-oxygen (SiO) bonds with the graphene, the liquid crystal vertical alignment molecules graft on the graphene surface.

(18) Specifically, in this embodiment, the lower substrate 20 is the same as the upper substrate 10, a side of the lower substrate 20 near the liquid crystal layer 30 has a functionalized graphene layer 40 disposed thereon, a surface of a side of the functionalized graphene layer near the liquid crystal layer 30 has been rubbed, to provide a pre-inclination angle for the liquid crystal molecules 31 in the liquid crystal layer 30.

(19) Specifically, the upper substrate 10 is a color film substrate, and the lower substrate 20 is a TFT array substrate.

(20) Please refer to FIG. 2, which schematically illustrates a structure of a liquid crystal panel containing functionalized graphene layer according to a second embodiment of the present application. In comparison with the first embodiment, in this embodiment, the functionalized graphene layer 40 is only disposed on the side of the upper substrate 10 near the liquid crystal 30, and an ITO electrode layer 51 and an alignment film layer 52 are successively bottom up disposed on the side of the lower substrate 20 near the liquid crystal layer 30, the alignment film layer 52 provides a pre-inclination angle for the liquid crystal molecules 31 in the liquid crystal layer 30.

(21) In the liquid crystal panel structure containing a functionalized graphene layer of the present application, the functionalized graphene layer thereof simultaneously plays effects of transparent conductivity and liquid crystal alignment, an alignment process that subsequently uses an alignment material is not necessary, the fabrication process and film structures of the liquid crystal panel are greatly simplified.

(22) Please refer to FIG. 3, the present application further provides a method of preparing a functionalized graphene film, including following steps.

(23) Step 1, functionalizing a graphene oxide: preparing a graphene oxide by utilizing Hummer's method; reacting the obtained graphene oxide with liquid crystal vertical alignment molecules having liquid crystal alignment function, to graft the vertical alignment molecules on a surface of the graphene oxide, to obtain a functionalized graphene oxide.

(24) Specifically, a molecule structural formula of the liquid crystal vertical alignment molecules is

(25) ##STR00009##

(26) wherein R is

(27) ##STR00010##
m is an integer of 15, n is an integer of 1530; preferably, m is an integer of 24, n is an integer of 1624.

(28) Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, the liquid crystal vertical alignment molecules react with the graphene oxide, by forming silicon-oxygen (SiO) bonds with the graphene oxide, the liquid crystal vertical alignment molecules graft on the graphene oxide surface, to obtain a functionalized graphene oxide.

(29) Step 2, forming a functionalized graphene oxide film: providing a solvent, mixing the functionalized graphene oxide obtained in step 1 with the solvent, and through a sonication, to obtain a uniformly dispersed functionalized graphene oxide dispersion; providing a substrate, forming a functionalized graphene oxide film on the substrate by the functionalized graphene oxide dispersion.

(30) Specifically, the solvent provided in step 2 is a solvent of one or mixing more than one of acetonitrile, acetone, tetrahydrofuran, N-methylpyrrolidone, water, acetone, ethanol, N,N-dimethylformamide, dichloromethane, chloroform, propanol, isopropanol, and ethylene glycol.

(31) Specifically, in step 2, forming the functionalized graphene oxide film on the substrate by the functionalized graphene oxide dispersion is performed by a method of inkjet printing or transferring.

(32) Preferably, in step 2, forming the functionalized graphene oxide film on the substrate by the functionalized graphene oxide dispersion is performed by the method of inkjet printing.

(33) Step 3, reducing the functionalized graphene oxide: performing a hydrogen gas reduction treatment to the functionalized graphene oxide film obtained in step 2, to obtain a functionalized graphene film.

(34) Specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, in step 3, the hydrogen gas reduction treatment performed to the functionalized graphene oxide allows carbonyl (CO), carboxyl (CO) and hydroxyl (COOH) on the graphene oxide in the functionalized graphene oxide be reduced, so as to provide more excellent conductivity and transparency to the graphene, wherein the grafted vertical alignment molecule having alignment function cannot be reduced by the hydrogen gas, and they are retained on the graphene surface.

(35) Specifically, step 3 further includes rubbing the obtained functionalized graphene film, so as to play the function of providing the pre-inclination angle for the liquid crystal molecules.

(36) The method of preparing the functionalized graphene layer of the present application sufficiently utilizes superiority of transparent conductivity of the graphene, and modifiability of the graphene surface, to endow the graphene with an effect of liquid crystal molecule alignment, the functionalized graphene layer prepared thereby has transparency, conductivity and alignment functions, and it will also play more obvious superiority in future flexible display and transparent display.

(37) In summary, in the liquid crystal panel structure containing a functionalized graphene layer of the present application, the functionalized graphene layer thereof simultaneously plays effects of transparent conductivity and liquid crystal alignment, an alignment process that subsequently uses an alignment material is not necessary, the fabrication process and film structures of the liquid crystal panel are greatly simplified. In the method of preparing the functionalized graphene layer of the present application, the graphene oxide is firstly prepared by Hummer's method, by reacting the liquid crystal vertical alignment molecules having liquid crystal alignment function with functional groups on the graphene surface, the functionalized graphene oxide is obtained; then, the functionalized graphene oxide film is obtained by film-forming the functionalized graphene oxide; then other functional groups containing oxygen on the functionalized graphene oxide film are reduced to obtain the material that is the functionalized graphene film of graphene surface grafted with liquid crystal vertical alignment molecules. The method of preparing the functionalized graphene layer of the present application sufficiently utilizes superiority of transparent conductivity of the graphene, and modifiability of the graphene surface, to endow the graphene with an effect of liquid crystal molecule alignment, the functionalized graphene layer prepared thereby has transparency, conductivity and alignment function, and it will also play more obvious superiority in future flexible display and transparent display.

(38) Based on the above description, an ordinarily skilled in the art can complete various similar modifications and arrangements according to the technical programs and ideas of the present application, and the scope of the appended claims of the present application should encompass all such modifications and arrangements.