• Korea-Australia Rheology Journal
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.209-215
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• 2006

Recent research results on viscocapillary models of various pre-metered coating flows such as curtain, slide, and slot coatings have been reviewed in this paper. Such one-dimensional models have been simplified from two-dimensional Navier-Stokes equations for viscous coating flows with free surfaces, using integral momentum balances and lubrication approximation. It has been found that these viscocapillary models is capable of predicting flow dynamics in various coating systems, providing the good agreement with results by 2-D models.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.32 no.8
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• pp.673-680
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• 2015

A roll-to-roll (R2R) continuous manufacturing system for a carbon-nanotube (CNT)-/silver-nanowire (AgNW)- based large-area transparent conductive film was introduced in this study. The systemic guidelines of the R2R slot-die coating process including roll eccentricity, wrap angle, pump accuracy, and blower influence were discussed. To simulate the coating phenomenon, we investigated the governing parameters of the coating process by incorporating the estimated relative thickness that was defined by combining the viscocapillary model and volume model. By using experimental and mathematical approaches, an excellent transparent conductive layer with a $40{\Omega}/{\Box}$ sheet resistance and 88 % transmittance was obtained; moreover, a dimensionless number identifies the correlation between the transparent conductive film and the anti-reflection film.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Manufacturing Process Engineers
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.23-29
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• 2013

Recent advances in printing technology have increased the productivity of the roll-to-roll (R2R) printing process for printed circuitry. In the R2R printed electronics, characteristics of printed and coated layers are one of the most important issues that determine the functional quality of final products. The slot-die technology can coat a large area with high uniformity using low-viscosity materials; determining the process parameters is important to obtain excellent coating qualities. In this study, a viscocapillary model was used to predict qualities of coated layers and patterns. On the basis of analysis results, a novel meta model was derived using design of experiment methodology to improve accuracy. Sensitivity analysis was performed to define major parameters in R2R slot-die coating process. The coating speed was found to most significantly affect the coated layer thickness and was easily controlled. The performance of the proposed model is verified through experimental studies. Based on the statistical analysis results, R2R slot die process can be optimized to guarantee a desired thickness.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Rheology Conference
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• 2006.06a
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• pp.81-84
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• 2006

Slot coating process, in continuous and patch modes, has been applied for the many precise coating products, e.g., flat panel displays and second batteries. However, manufacturing uniform coating products is not a trivial task at high-speed operations because various flow instabilities or defects such as leaking, bubbles, ribbing, and rivulets are frequently observed in this process. It is no wonder, therefore, that many efforts to understand the various aspects of dynamics and coating windows of this process have been made both in academia and industry. In this study, as the first topic, flow dynamics within the coating bead in slot coating process has been investigated using the one-dimensional viscocapillary model by lubrication approximation and two-dimensional model by Flow-3D software. Especially, operability windows in both 1D and 2D cases with various slot die lip designs have been successfully portrayed. Also, effects of process conditions like viscosity and coating gap size on slot coating window have been analyzed. Also, some experiments to find minimum coating thickness and coating windows have been conducted using slot die coater implemented with flow visualization device, corroborating the numerical results. As the second topic, flow dynamics of both Newtonian and Non-Newtonian fluids in patch or pattern slot coating process, which is employed in manufacturing IT products such as secondary batteries, has been investigated for the purpose of optimal process designs. As a matter of fact, the flow control in this system is more difficult than in continuous case because od its transient or time-dependent nature. The internal die and die lip designs for patterned uniform coating products have been obtained by controlling flow behaviors of coating liquids issuing from slot. Numerical simulations have been performed using Fluent and Flow-3D packages. Flow behavior and pressure distribution inside the slot die has been compared with various die internal shapes and geometries. In the coating bead region, efforts to reduce irregular coating defects in head and tail parts of one patterned coating unit have been tried by changing die lip shapes. It has been concluded that optimal die internal design gas been developed, guaranteeing uniform velocity distribution of both Newtonian and shear thinning fluids at the die exit. And also optimal die lip design has been established, providing the longer uniform coating layer thickness within one coating unit.