| US 7,455,886 B2 | ||
| Nanocomposite materials and an in-situ method of making such materials | ||
| YuanQiao Rao, Pittsford, N.Y. (US); Samuel Chen, Penfield, N.Y. (US); Charles W. Lander, Wayland, N.Y. (US); Tomohiro Ishikawa, Rochester, N.Y. (US); and Theodore R. Vandam, Rochester, N.Y. (US) | ||
| Assigned to Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, N.Y. (US) | ||
| Filed on Aug. 22, 2005, as Appl. No. 11/208,661. | ||
| Prior Publication US 2007/0254107 A1, Nov. 01, 2007 | ||
| This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer. | ||
| Int. Cl. B05D 3/04 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 427—385.5 [427/335; 524/430] | 14 Claims |
| 1. A method of fabricating a nanocomposite material in the form of a film, the method comprising generating nanoparticles
in-situ within a polymer matrix by:
(a) forming a coating solution of a nanoparticle precursor and a polymer dissolved in a substantially non-aqueous carrier
liquid comprising one or more organic solvents, wherein catalyst is essentially absent in the coating solution, wherein the
nanoparticle precursor is a condensation polymerizable reactive metal compound comprising a metal atom, which is a transition
metal or a metal in Group 3B or 4B of the Periodic Table, and at least two hydrolyzable leaving groups, wherein the amount
of nanoparticle precursor in the coating solution is at least 5 weight percent relative to the total polymer, wherein the
polymer is a vinyl polymer, an acrylic or styrene polymer or copolymer, or a cellulosic polymer, wherein the coating solution
comprises less than 0.2 weight percent water, and wherein the coating solution contains substantially no nanoparticles greater
than 2 nm before coating;
(b) applying the coating solution onto a substrate in an environment having a controlled relative humidity that is between
2 and 50 percent to form a coating and then removing organic solvent from the coating, thereby forming a gel;
(c) converting the nanoparticle precursor into nanoparticles in a polymer matrix to form a nanocomposite; and
(d) drying the nanocomposite to remove remaining organic solvent from the nanocomposite;
wherein the nanoparticles in the nanocomposite comprise predominantly nanoparticles having a maximum dimension of not more
than 50 nm.
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