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The technique involves a patented, automated variation on the well-known Langmuir Blodgett technique; the material (or particulates) to be deposited are put into a suspension, then dispensed in a precise, controlled manner onto the surface of a carrier liquid on which they “float,” forming a bi-layer.  The top layer is then made to self-assemble by inducing the bottom carrier layer to flow, a function of dispensing and flow rates, surface tension and surfactants.  The physical set-up consists of a specialized “cartridge” unit with a ramp between two ponds at different heights containing the carrier fluid which circulates at a controlled rate, and a web handling unit which passes a moving substrate close to a lip along the edge of the lower pond:

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The carrier flow causes the top layer to self-organize into a thin layer or closely packed monolayer, which then smoothly transfers onto the passing substrate.  The coating thickness can be tightly controlled, with high uniformity of deposition.

Unlike slot die coating or other systems, the material to be deposited is not diluted to control thickness, which requires precise evaporation (drying) of the dilutant to control thickness and uniformity. Only incidental traces of the carrier fluid, or of the solvents used to prepare the initial suspensions need be evaporated, if at all.

A benchtop lab scale tool, the Model VfX-100 with a 100 mm web (and delivery cartridge) is available, and currently installed at and used by a number of R&D Labs. It can move 0-5 cm/sec, controllable ± 0.1 mm/sec. It is an ideal tool for R&D labs to develop their own unique applications.