Study of Electronic Paper Based on Electrophoretic Image Display System (1)—Preparation of EPID Particles and Observation of Particle Movement by Electrophoresis—

Abstract

Electrophoretic particles were fabricated by modifying inorganic pigment surface with highly hydrophilic polymer shell. Firstly, silane coupling agents were used to modify inorganic pigment surface, and then monomers which have more than eight carbon atoms were used to form polymer coating shell on particles by radical graft polymerization. Silane coupling agent provides pigment with charge, and polymer shell prevents the pigment from flocculating in electrophoretic solvent by steric hindrance. Spatial distribution of electrophoretic TiO₂ particles under the reciprocation motion between two electrodes was observed by using an optical microscope. The drift mobility and zeta potential of electrophoretic particles were calculated by the observation.