Patent ID: 8308886

Claim:
A process for thermal transfer patterning of nanoparticles comprising the steps of: a) providing a thermal imaging donor comprising, in layered sequence: a base film, a carrier layer selected from the group consisting of: a dielectric layer and a conducting layer, and a nanoparticle layer comprising a plurality of nanoparticles characterized by an average longest dimension of about 5 nm to about 1500 nm, wherein said nanoparticle layer comprises a nanoparticle fraction at a loading of at least 98 wt % based on the weight of the nanoparticle layer, and optionally, a dispersant; wherein, if the carrier layer is the dielectric layer, the base film comprises a first light attenuating agent and has an OD of 0.1 or greater at a wavelength of about 350 to about 1500 nm; b) contacting the thermal imaging donor with a thermal imaging receiver, wherein the thermal imaging receiver comprises a base film; and c) transferring at least a portion of the nanoparticle layer and a corresponding proximate portion of the carrier layer together onto the thermal imaging receiver by thermal transfer to provide, in layered sequence on said receiver, a patterned nanoparticle layer and a patterned carrier layer; wherein said thermal imaging donor is made by a process comprising providing a fluid dispersion consisting essentially of: (1) a non-volatile fraction containing a nanoparticle fraction at a loading of at least 98 wt % based on the weight of the non-volatile fraction, and optionally, a dispersant; and (2) a volatile carrier fluid; providing a thermal imaging substrate comprising the base film and the carrier layer; and applying said fluid dispersion onto the carrier layer and volatilizing the carrier fluid to provide said thermal imaging donor.