Fast fabrication of a novel transparent PMMA light scattering materials with high haze by doping with ordinary polymer

Abstract

Poly(methyl methacrylate)(PMMA)/poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) light scattering materials are fabricated by a simple, low-cost approach of melt blending and compression molding. We find that the competing effects of particle diameter versus number concentration of the scattering particles is the controlling factor to tailoring the optical properties of the materials, which is analyzed according to Mie scattering theory. The results show that the transmittance kept decreasing in the PET concentration range 0-10 wt% followed by a constant level in the range 10-20 wt%; however, the transmittance experienced a significant increase in the range 20-35 wt% and plateaued again after PET content exceeded 35 wt%. Therefore, the application of ordinary polymer dopant makes preparing light scattering sheets with high haze but not decreasing transmittance possible.

Challenges and Prospects of Bio-Inspired and Multifunctional Transparent Substrates and Barrier Layers for Optoelectronics

“…71 (b) (i) Nanograss glass with 1 and without 8 OTS coating, as well as the aggregated alumina nanowire arrays on glass 122 and imprinted PDMS on glass. 123 (c) (i) Nanograss PET, 7 as well as plastic−paper, 71 silica nanoparticle array on PET, 124 and doped poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)/poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) without 125 and with shear. 126 transparent paper based on wood fibers, with ultrahigh transparency of ≈96% as well as high optical haze (≈60%).…”

In-situ fabrication of a novel anisotropic PC-matrix light-scattering materials containing spindle-shaped core-shell particles

“…There are many methods for preparing light-scattering materials, such as chemical etching 7 , photofabrication 8 , replication molding 9 , hot embossing 10 , holographic recording 11 , electrospraying 12 , silver halide sensing Gelatin 13 , etc. According to different scattering effects, polymer-matrix light-scattering materials 14–16 can be classified into isotropic light-scattering materials and anisotropic light-scattering materials. The scattered light distribution of the isotropic light-scattering material is hemispherical, so the scattered light pattern seen in the plane perpendicular to the incident light is circular, and scattering patterns in different directions have the same distribution range.…”

“…In previous studies, we prepared polycarbonate (PC)/poly(styrene-co-acrylonitrile) (SAN) and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA)/polyethylene terephthalate (PET) light-scattering materials by a simple melt blending process, which has outstanding advantages of high light transmittance and high haze 14,21 . Since the viscosity of SAN is lower than that of PC, SAN can be completely oriented during hot stretching, so we have used this feature to prepare PC/SAN anisotropic light scattering materials 22 .…”

Light scattering materials with tunable optical properties by controlling refractive index of the dispersed phase

“…1 Traditionally, inorganic additives or organic particles like silica (SiO 2 ), 2 titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ), 3 polysiloxane, core-shell particles, 4 and ordinary polymer blends such as poly(ethylene terephthalate), 5 ethylene-vinyl acetate, 6 and poly(styrene-coacrylonitrile) (SAN), [7][8][9] are commonly incorporated into polymer matrix to prepare optical diffusers with excellent transmittance and high haze. 1 Traditionally, inorganic additives or organic particles like silica (SiO 2 ), 2 titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ), 3 polysiloxane, core-shell particles, 4 and ordinary polymer blends such as poly(ethylene terephthalate), 5 ethylene-vinyl acetate, 6 and poly(styrene-coacrylonitrile) (SAN), [7][8][9] are commonly incorporated into polymer matrix to prepare optical diffusers with excellent transmittance and high haze.…”

“…Optical diffusers are widely used in artificial lightings, illuminated sign, automotive dashboards, liquid crystal displays, and so forth, to improve the brightness uniformity on the displays. 1 Traditionally, inorganic additives or organic particles like silica (SiO 2 ), 2 titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ), 3 polysiloxane, core-shell particles, 4 and ordinary polymer blends such as poly(ethylene terephthalate), 5 ethylene-vinyl acetate, 6 and poly(styrene-coacrylonitrile) (SAN), [7][8][9] are commonly incorporated into polymer matrix to prepare optical diffusers with excellent transmittance and high haze.…”