Optical diffusers based on silicone emulsions

Abstract

The present study provides an experimental approach for fabricating optical diffuser films based on silicone emulsions. The silicone emulsion consisting of silicone polymer (Sylgard 184) and NaCl aq. solution was used as the optical material of diffusers, wherein NaCl aq. solution was severed as surfactant to stabilize the emulsions. After stirring mechanically, microscaled water drop with various sizes distributed randomly in silicone polymer, wherein water drop was used as scattering diffusion particles. To modulate the volume of NaCl aq. solution, the diffusing performance of diffusers could be change by different amount drop particles. Thereafter, an optical examination was carried out to characterize optical properties, transmittance. and light diffusivity of volumetric diffuser films. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.