CN106486571B - A kind of preparation method of high heat conduction quantum dot film - Google Patents

A kind of preparation method of high heat conduction quantum dot film Download PDF

Info

Publication number
CN106486571B
CN106486571B CN201610968220.2A CN201610968220A CN106486571B CN 106486571 B CN106486571 B CN 106486571B CN 201610968220 A CN201610968220 A CN 201610968220A CN 106486571 B CN106486571 B CN 106486571B
Authority
CN
China
Prior art keywords
quantum dot
heat conduction
high heat
quantum
preparation
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Active
Application number
CN201610968220.2A
Other languages
Chinese (zh)
Other versions
CN106486571A (en
Inventor
郑怀
刘胜
雷翔
刘洁
周尚儒
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Wuhan University WHU
Original Assignee
Wuhan University WHU
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Wuhan University WHU filed Critical Wuhan University WHU
Priority to CN201610968220.2A priority Critical patent/CN106486571B/en
Publication of CN106486571A publication Critical patent/CN106486571A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CN106486571B publication Critical patent/CN106486571B/en
Active legal-status Critical Current
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical

Links

Classifications

    • HELECTRICITY
    • H01ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01LSEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L33/00Semiconductor devices with at least one potential-jump barrier or surface barrier specially adapted for light emission; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof
    • H01L33/02Semiconductor devices with at least one potential-jump barrier or surface barrier specially adapted for light emission; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof characterised by the semiconductor bodies
    • H01L33/04Semiconductor devices with at least one potential-jump barrier or surface barrier specially adapted for light emission; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof characterised by the semiconductor bodies with a quantum effect structure or superlattice, e.g. tunnel junction
    • H01L33/06Semiconductor devices with at least one potential-jump barrier or surface barrier specially adapted for light emission; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof characterised by the semiconductor bodies with a quantum effect structure or superlattice, e.g. tunnel junction within the light emitting region, e.g. quantum confinement structure or tunnel barrier
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H01ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01LSEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L33/00Semiconductor devices with at least one potential-jump barrier or surface barrier specially adapted for light emission; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof
    • H01L33/005Processes
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H01ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01LSEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L33/00Semiconductor devices with at least one potential-jump barrier or surface barrier specially adapted for light emission; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof
    • H01L33/005Processes
    • H01L33/0083Processes for devices with an active region comprising only II-VI compounds
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H01ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01LSEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L33/00Semiconductor devices with at least one potential-jump barrier or surface barrier specially adapted for light emission; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof
    • H01L33/02Semiconductor devices with at least one potential-jump barrier or surface barrier specially adapted for light emission; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof characterised by the semiconductor bodies
    • H01L33/26Materials of the light emitting region
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H01ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01LSEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L33/00Semiconductor devices with at least one potential-jump barrier or surface barrier specially adapted for light emission; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof
    • H01L33/02Semiconductor devices with at least one potential-jump barrier or surface barrier specially adapted for light emission; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof characterised by the semiconductor bodies
    • H01L33/26Materials of the light emitting region
    • H01L33/28Materials of the light emitting region containing only elements of group II and group VI of the periodic system

Abstract

The invention discloses a kind of preparation methods of high heat conduction quantum dot film, including:Semiconductor-quantum-point, polymer matrix and the first organic solvent of S1 hybrid nanoscales, and polymer matrix is made to be dissolved completely in the first organic solvent, obtain quantum dot solution;Quantum dot solution is transferred in the syringe of electrospinning device by S2, and electrospun membrane is prepared using electrospinning device;S3 carries out hot pressing to electrospun membrane and obtains compacting electrospun membrane;S4 will be compacted electrospun membrane and immerse in LED packaging plastics, be taken out after vacuum defoamation, and heated solidification is to get to high heat conduction quantum dot film.Simple and effective, environmental protection and economy of the invention, significantly improves the heat conductivility for improving quantum dot film, so as to the heat dissipation performance for improving quantum dot LED and photochromic stability.

Description

A kind of preparation method of high heat conduction quantum dot film
Technical field
The invention belongs to quantum dot LED encapsulation technologies fields, more particularly, to a kind of system of high heat conduction quantum dot film Preparation Method.
Background technology
LED (Light Emitting Diode) is a kind of electroluminescent light emitting semiconductor device, has service life The advantages that length, environmental protection and energy saving, high colour developing coefficient, electro-optical efficiency be high, small, high reliability.Since LED is unique superior Property, it is widely applied and rapidly develops in many fields, be considered most there is the next generation of foreground and importance to consolidate by industry Body lighting source has huge market potential.
There is quantum dot LED component based on semiconductor-quantum-point (QD) color to be saturated, purity is high, monochromaticjty is good, color It is adjustable and the advantages that simple solution manufacturing method is obtained and can be prepared on a large scale can be used.With the quantum of nucleocapsid The defects of appearance of point, the photooxidation of nuclear quantum dot and photobleaching, is improved, photoluminescence quantum yield and optical stabilization Property higher, the outer quantum yield of quantum dot LED component are greatly improved, become the luminescent device that currently attracts most attention it One, and present fine application prospect.But very big heat is generated when quantum dot light emitting, since polymer matrix bulk thermal conductivities are low, Traditional quantum dots-polymer film heat conductivility is poor, to which quantum dot film temperature is higher, causes quantum dot light emitting efficiency Decline and color displacement, cause quantum dot LED heat performance and photochromic stability poor.
Invention content
The object of the present invention is to provide a kind of preparation methods of high heat conduction quantum dot film, can be by quantum dot using this method The thermal conductivity of film is promoted from 0.2K/W or so to 0.9K/W or more.
In order to achieve the above objectives, the preparation method of high heat conduction quantum dot film provided by the invention, including step:
Semiconductor-quantum-point, polymer matrix and the first organic solvent of S1 hybrid nanoscales, and keep polymer matrix complete Fully dissolved obtains quantum dot solution in the first organic solvent;
Quantum dot solution is transferred in the syringe of electrospinning device by S2, and electrospun membrane is prepared using electrospinning device;
S3 carries out hot pressing to electrospun membrane and obtains compacting electrospun membrane;
S4 will be compacted electrospun membrane and immerse in LED packaging plastics, be taken out after vacuum defoamation, heated solidification is led to get to height Hot quantum dot film.
Further, semiconductor-quantum-point be CdSe/ZnS quantum dots, CdSe quantum dot, CdSe/CdS/ZnS quantum dots, ZnO/CdS quantum dots, ZnSe/ZnS quantum dots, CuInS2Quantum dot or InP/ZnS quantum dots.
Further, polymer matrix is polystyrene (PS), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) or poly- terephthaldehyde Sour glycol ester (PET).
Further, the first organic solvent is chloroform, toluene, hexane or dimethylbenzene.But the first organic solvent is not It is limited to this, as long as the organic solvent of polymer matrix used by capable of dissolving.
Further, in quantum dot solution, the mass ratio of semiconductor-quantum-point and polymer matrix is 1:(50~200), The mass concentration of polymer matrix is 10wt%~20wt%.
Further, syringe is glass or plastic material, and syringe needle is stainless steel.
Further, the hot pressing condition of step S3 is:Hot pressing temperature be 50 DEG C~100 DEG C, pressure limit be 5MPa~ 20MPa, hot pressing time are 10 minutes~20 minutes.
Preferably, in step S3, before hot pressing, electrospun membrane is infiltrated using the second organic solvent, second is organic The organic solvent that solvent selection does not dissolve polymer matrix and do not reacted with semiconductor-quantum-point.It is carried out using the second organic solvent The purpose of infiltration is:So that electrospun membrane internal fiber is assembled, is easily formed dense film in hot pressing in this way
Second organic solvent is alcohol, ethylene glycol or isopropanol.
Further, LED packaging plastics are silica gel or epoxy resin.
Compared to the prior art, the present invention has following features and advantageous effect:
(1) the method for the present invention can prepare high heat conduction quantum dot film using simple common equipment and raw material, letter It is single effective, environmental protection and economy.
(2) thermal conductivity of quantum dot film prepared by can reach 0.9K/W or more, and quantum dot-prepared by conventional method is poly- The thermal conductivity only about 0.2K/W of object film is closed, the thermal conductivity of quantum dot film is significantly improved.The quantum dot of high heat conductance is thin Film can effectively export the heat of quantum dot light emitting generation;The quantum dot film of the high heat conductance is used for quantum dot LED, can be promoted The heat dissipation performance of quantum dot LED, while improving the photochromic stability of quantum dot LED.
Description of the drawings
Fig. 1 is the concrete technology flow process figure of the present invention;
Fig. 2 is the specific schematic diagram for preparing quantum dot solution;
Fig. 3 is the specific schematic diagram for preparing electrospun membrane;
Fig. 4 is the structural schematic diagram of electricity spinning fibre;
Fig. 5 is the specific schematic diagram of infiltration and the hot pressing of electrospun membrane;
Fig. 6 is the specific schematic diagram for filling LED packaging plastics;
Fig. 7 is the structural schematic diagram of high heat conduction quantum dot film prepared by the present invention.
In figure, 1- semiconductor-quantum-points, 2- quantum dot solutions, 3- magnetic stirring apparatus, 4- sealed membranes, 5- the first containers, 6- Water, 7- high-voltage DC power supplies, 8- supporting tables, 9- syringe pumps, 10- syringes, 11- aluminium foils, 12- receiver boards, 13- draught cupboards, 14- Electricity spinning fibre, 15- polymer matrixs, 16- electrospun membranes, 17- carriers, 18- alcohol, 19- pressing plates, 20- hot plates, 21- compactings Electrospun membrane, 22-LED packaging plastics, 23- bubbles, 24- quantum dot films, 25- second containers.
Specific implementation mode
In order to make the purpose , technical scheme and advantage of the present invention be clearer, with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments, right The present invention is further elaborated.It should be appreciated that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the present invention, and It is not used in the restriction present invention.As long as in addition, technical characteristic involved in the various embodiments of the present invention described below It does not constitute a conflict with each other and can be combined with each other.
Embodiment 1
Referring to Fig. 1, a kind of high heat conduction quantum dot film preparation method comprising following steps:The system of S1 quantum dot solutions Standby, S2 electrospun membranes preparation, the infiltration of S3 electrospun membranes and hot pressing, S4 filling LED packaging plastics simultaneously cure.These are walked below Suddenly it is described in detail.
Referring to Fig. 2, in step S1, quantum dot solution 2 is prepared, semiconductor-quantum-point 1, polymer matrix 15 and first are had Solvent is added in the first container 5, is sealed the first container for 5 mouthfuls with sealed membrane 4.The first container 5 is placed in 3 institute of magnetic stirring apparatus It is filled with water in 6, carries out the magnetic agitation of 12 hours, obtain uniform quantum dot solution 2.In gained quantum dot solution, semiconductor The mass ratio of quantum dot and polymer matrix is 1:100, mass concentration of the polymer matrix in quantum dot solution is 15wt%.
Referring to Fig. 3, in step S2, electrospun membrane is prepared, which carries out in draught cupboard 13, and draught cupboard 13 can provide photograph Bright, ventilation and protective effect.Syringe pump 9 is fixed in supporting table 8, syringe pump 9 controls syringe 10.Quantum is housed in syringe 10 The syringe needle connection high-voltage DC power supply 7 of point solution 2, syringe 10 connects.Receiver board 12 is grounded, and 12 surface of receiver board has aluminium foil 11.Electricity spinning fibre 14 is attached directly to form electrospun membrane 16 on aluminium foil 11.
Referring to Fig. 4, electricity spinning fibre 14 is made of polymer matrix 15 and semiconductor-quantum-point 1, semiconductor-quantum-point 1 or It is embedded in 15 surface of polymer matrix, or embedment polymer matrix 15.
Referring to Fig. 5, in step S3, in the infiltration and hot pressing of electrospun membrane, first by electrospun membrane 16 from aluminium foil 11 On remove, be transferred on smooth carrier 17, carrier 17 can be glass carrier or ceramic monolith.With alcohol 18 by electrospun membrane Carrier 17 with electrospun membrane 16, is then placed on hot plate 20, smooth pressing plate 19 is used in combination to be pressed on electrospun membrane by 16 infiltrations On 16, the hot pressing 20 minutes under 50 DEG C of temperature, 20Mpa pressure obtains the compacting electrospun membrane 21 being attached on carrier 17.Pressing plate 19 Flat, ceramic platen, aluminium alloy pressing plate or stainless steel platen can be used.
Referring to Fig. 6, in step S4, fill LED packaging plastics and it is cured during, first, will compacting electrospun membrane 21 from It removes, is put into the second container 25 equipped with LED packaging plastics 22 on carrier 17.Then vacuum defoamation is carried out, by LED packaging plastics 22 In bubble 23 extract out.Then, the compacting electrospun membrane 21 for being mixed with LED packaging plastics 22 is taken out, is placed on carrier 17, carrier 17 is set In on hot plate 20,60 minutes are heated to cure LED packaging plastics 22 to get to quantum dot film 24 in 80 DEG C of temperature.
Referring to Fig. 7, gained quantum dot film 24 is mainly made of electricity spinning fibre 14 and LED packaging plastics 22.
In the present embodiment, semiconductor-quantum-point is cadmium selenide/zinc sulphide (CdSe/ZnS) quantum dot of core/shell structure.
In the present embodiment, the first organic solvent is chloroform.
In the present embodiment, polymer matrix is polystyrene (PS).
In the present embodiment, LED packaging plastics are silica gel.
Each step of the present embodiment carries out under super-clean environment, i.e., is carried out in 100000 grades of ultra-clean chamber, and utensil used makes With it is preceding cleaned with absolute ethyl alcohol and deionized water after in vacuum drying chamber it is dry.
Embodiment 2
The present embodiment and 1 method and step all same of embodiment, unlike:
In quantum dot solution prepared by step S1, the mass ratio of semiconductor-quantum-point and polymer matrix is 1:50, it is high The mass concentration of copolymer matrix is 20wt%;
In step S3, hot pressing temperature is 80 DEG C, hot pressing pressure 10Mpa, and hot pressing time is 15 minutes;
In step S4, solidification temperature is 100 DEG C, and hardening time is 50 minutes;
Semiconductor-quantum-point is cadmium selenide (CdSe) quantum dot;
Polymer matrix is polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA);
LED packaging plastics are epoxy resin.
Each step of the present embodiment carries out under super-clean environment, i.e., is carried out in 100000 grades of ultra-clean chamber, and utensil used makes With it is preceding cleaned with absolute ethyl alcohol and deionized water after in vacuum drying chamber it is dry.
Embodiment 3
The present embodiment and 1 method and step all same of embodiment, unlike:
In quantum dot solution prepared by step S1, the mass ratio of semiconductor-quantum-point and polymer matrix is 1:200, it is high The mass concentration of copolymer matrix is 10wt%;
In step S3, hot pressing temperature is 100 DEG C, hot pressing pressure 5Mpa, and hot pressing time is 10 minutes;
In step S4, solidification temperature is 120 DEG C, and hardening time is 40 minutes;
Semiconductor-quantum-point is cadmium selenide/cadmium sulfide/zinc sulfide (CdSe/CdS/ZnS) quantum dot of core shell/shell structure;
Polymer matrix is polyethylene terephthalate (PET);
LED packaging plastics are epoxy resin.
Each step of the present embodiment carries out under super-clean environment, i.e., is carried out in 100000 grades of ultra-clean chamber, and utensil used makes With it is preceding cleaned with absolute ethyl alcohol and deionized water after in vacuum drying chamber it is dry.
As it will be easily appreciated by one skilled in the art that the foregoing is merely illustrative of the preferred embodiments of the present invention, not to The limitation present invention, all within the spirits and principles of the present invention made by all any modification, equivalent and improvement etc., should all include Within protection scope of the present invention.

Claims (9)

1. a kind of preparation method of high heat conduction quantum dot film, characterized in that including step:
Semiconductor-quantum-point, polymer matrix and the first organic solvent of S1 hybrid nanoscales, and keep polymer matrix completely molten Solution obtains quantum dot solution in the first organic solvent;
Quantum dot solution is transferred in the syringe of electrospinning device by S2, and electrospun membrane is prepared using electrospinning device;
S3 carries out hot pressing to electrospun membrane and obtains compacting electrospun membrane;
S4 will be compacted electrospun membrane and immerse in LED packaging plastics, be taken out after vacuum defoamation, and heated solidification is to get to high heat conduction amount Son point film.
2. the preparation method of high heat conduction quantum dot film as described in claim 1, it is characterized in that:
The semiconductor-quantum-point is CdSe/ZnS quantum dots, CdSe quantum dot, CdSe/CdS/ZnS quantum dots, ZnO/CdS Quantum dot, ZnSe/ZnS quantum dots, CuInS2Quantum dot or InP/ZnS quantum dots.
3. the preparation method of high heat conduction quantum dot film as described in claim 1, it is characterized in that:
The polymer matrix is polystyrene, polymethyl methacrylate or polyethylene terephthalate.
4. the preparation method of high heat conduction quantum dot film as described in claim 1, it is characterized in that:
First organic solvent is chloroform, toluene, hexane or dimethylbenzene.
5. the preparation method of high heat conduction quantum dot film as described in claim 1, it is characterized in that:
In the quantum dot solution, the mass ratio of semiconductor-quantum-point and polymer matrix is 1:(50~200), high polymer base The mass concentration of body is 10wt% ~ 20wt%.
6. the preparation method of high heat conduction quantum dot film as described in claim 1, it is characterized in that:
Hot pressing condition is in step S3:Hot pressing temperature is 50 DEG C ~ 100 DEG C, and pressure limit is 5MPa ~ 20MPa, and hot pressing time is 10 minutes ~ 20 minutes.
7. the preparation method of high heat conduction quantum dot film as described in claim 1, it is characterized in that:
In step S3, before hot pressing, electrospun membrane is infiltrated using the second organic solvent, the selection of the second organic solvent is insoluble Solution polymer matrix and the organic solvent not reacted with semiconductor-quantum-point.
8. the preparation method of high heat conduction quantum dot film as claimed in claim 7, it is characterized in that:
Second organic solvent is alcohol, ethylene glycol or isopropanol.
9. the preparation method of high heat conduction quantum dot film as described in claim 1, it is characterized in that:
The LED packaging plastics are silica gel or epoxy resin.
CN201610968220.2A 2016-10-26 2016-10-26 A kind of preparation method of high heat conduction quantum dot film Active CN106486571B (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CN201610968220.2A CN106486571B (en) 2016-10-26 2016-10-26 A kind of preparation method of high heat conduction quantum dot film

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CN201610968220.2A CN106486571B (en) 2016-10-26 2016-10-26 A kind of preparation method of high heat conduction quantum dot film

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
CN106486571A CN106486571A (en) 2017-03-08
CN106486571B true CN106486571B (en) 2018-10-26

Family

ID=58271545

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CN201610968220.2A Active CN106486571B (en) 2016-10-26 2016-10-26 A kind of preparation method of high heat conduction quantum dot film

Country Status (1)

Country Link
CN (1) CN106486571B (en)

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2019129015A1 (en) * 2017-12-26 2019-07-04 Tcl集团股份有限公司 Thin film and fabrication method therefor and qled device
CN109545943B (en) * 2018-09-27 2020-06-12 纳晶科技股份有限公司 Manufacturing process of luminous element and luminous element

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
TW550834B (en) * 2002-02-15 2003-09-01 United Epitaxy Co Ltd Light emitting diode and its manufacturing method
KR20040092512A (en) * 2003-04-24 2004-11-04 (주)그래픽테크노재팬 A semiconductor light emitting device with reflectors having a cooling function
CN104377318A (en) * 2014-09-25 2015-02-25 京东方科技集团股份有限公司 Organic electroluminescence device, preparing method of organic electroluminescence device, display substrate and display device

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CN106486571A (en) 2017-03-08

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
CN106585061B (en) A kind of high quality quantum dot fluorescence thin-film material and preparation method thereof
CN103131190B (en) Double-component self-molding lens silica gel for light-emitting diode (LED) package and package process of double-component self-molding lens silica gel
CN106486571B (en) A kind of preparation method of high heat conduction quantum dot film
CN102237475A (en) LED wafer level fluorescent powder coating technology based on organic colloid
CN102751447A (en) Optical transition layer material, optical substrate/packaging layer, OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) and manufacturing methods thereof
CN104191803A (en) Preparation method of graphene/substrate composite conducting material
CN103337597B (en) Silicon oxide nanofiber and polymer composite transparent film and its preparation method and application
CN103413805B (en) LED lamp filament with adjustable light manufacturing process
CN103131191B (en) Single-component self-molding lens silica gel for light-emitting diode (LED) package and package process of single-component self-molding lens silica gel
Watanabe et al. Micromolding in capillaries for calcination-free fabrication of flexible inorganic phosphor films consisting of rare-earth-ion-doped nanoparticles
CN104263304B (en) A kind of photocuring potting compound and application process
CN105006509B (en) Quantum dot LED encapsulation method and encapsulating structure
CN208507714U (en) A kind of encapsulating structure of quantum dot LED light emitting device
TWI542826B (en) Flexible lighting photovoltaic module and manufacturing method thereof
CN109735235A (en) A kind of thermally conductive high refractive index LED transparent epoxy resin casting glue and preparation method thereof
CN109004107A (en) A kind of paper light emitting structure and the preparation method based on all print technique
CN106784367A (en) Integrated watertight OLED flat-plate light sources and preparation method thereof
CN107298954A (en) A kind of ageing-resistant glued membrane used for solar batteries and preparation method thereof
CN107681038B (en) Preparation method of LED device
CN203983326U (en) Led light source module
CN107134537B (en) A kind of flexible device packaging method
CN107215058A (en) A kind of conductive graphite aluminium base and preparation method thereof
CN208389436U (en) A kind of sublimation apparatus of luminous organic material
CN105128372A (en) Preparation method for composite polymer film with high thermal conductivity
CN109181249A (en) A kind of photovoltaic component back plate containing PET

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
C06 Publication
PB01 Publication
SE01 Entry into force of request for substantive examination
SE01 Entry into force of request for substantive examination
GR01 Patent grant
GR01 Patent grant