Electrooptical light-management material: Low-refractive-index adhesives

A prototype pressure-sensitive adhesive that has a low refractive index (< 1.36) and is optically clear has been developed ( Holguin and Chang, US Patent 6703463, 2002). The refractive index is a key feature in the application of optical polymers, and this pressure-sensitive adhesive is particularly useful for light-transmitting devices. It is a fluoro-substituted mono-acrylate adhesive. Fluoro-polymers are known to have a low refractive index, but typically the fluoro-polymers are not sticky and are opaque because of their crystallinity. The design of this novel fluorosubstituted monoacrylate adhesive polymer is based on the rheological marriage of fluoro-polymers and pressure-sensitive adhesives.