Session: 03-20-01: Manufacturing: General

Paper Number: 145664

145664 - Scalable Advance Manufacturing of Complex Multilayer Structures With Simultaneous Slot Dies Deposition Method 

The application of slot die coating manufacturing techniques has been widely studied due to their scalability, continuous process, and relatively cost-effectiveness. Slot die coating is applied to manufacturing organic thin film transistors (OTFT), organic capacitors, organic solar cells (OSC), and membranes. However, OTFT, organic capacitor, OSC have multilayer complex structures for their functionality, and advanced membrane often requires multilayer and patterned structure. Fabricating such products that have multiple-layer complex structures requires multiple manufacturing steps since the most widely used slot dies are limited to a single layer. With additional layers, a separate single-layer slot die and drying oven are needed, which often results in energy consumption and requires space for extra manufacturing tools. Therefore, reducing manufacturing steps to a minimum can be beneficial in terms of cost and environment. To overcome limitations of single-layer slot die, current technology allows depositing two layers at single steps using a bilayer slot die but limited to two layers and patterning deposition using a co-deposition slot die but limited to a single layer. However, these techniques still require more than two steps to fabricate the abovementioned products. To further reduce the extra steps for a multilayer complex structure, the co-deposition slot die, and Bilayer slot die can be deposited simultaneously on top of each other. Simultaneous deposition of co-deposition slot die and Bilayer slot dies can reduce the drying step, which consumes a large portion of the energy in the slot die process. Furthermore, negating drying ovens can reduce the footprint of the manufacturing line as mentioned above. 

  

Using advanced manufacturing methods by simultaneous deposition of co-deposition and bilayer slot die, unique structure of simple capacitor can be achieved. Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) was used as conductive polymer, Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as insulating polymer, and Sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) as viscosity modifier. The surface tension and viscosity of the PEDOT:PSS was modified to stabilize the co-deposition film while the bilayer was deposited on top. Co-deposition slot die deposit alternating strip pattern that consists of PEDOT:PSS for conducting layer and PVA for insulation between PEDOT:PSS stripes. The bilayer deposits two layered films on top of the Co-deposition, without any drying step, that consist of PVA as the bottom layer and PEDOT:PSS as the top layer. The resulting film structure is a conductive polymer layer on the bottom of the film, an insulating layer for the middle layer, and another conducting layer on top resembling the capacitor's structure. Even though the resulting capacitor performance is subpar due to low-grade PEDOT:PSS, the advanced manufacturing method using simultaneous co-deposition and bilayer slot die can be applicable to a variety of products that consist of complex structure in reduced steps.  

Presenting Author: Minwoo Jung Georgia Institute of Technology

Presenting Author Biography: Minwoo Jung Phd student at Georgia Institute of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering and completed undergraduate studies in Mechanical Engineering at Georgia Tech. Interest in advanced manufacturing in coating manufacturing, research areas are state of the art slot die manufacturing overcoming the limitation on current slot die technology. Actively working on advancing reducing energy, carbon footprint and reducing cost by implementing advanced technology in slot die manufacturing. Also participating in membrane fabrication for renewability.

Authors:

Minwoo Jung Georgia Institute of Technology
Tequila Harris Georgia Institute of Technology