New anti-reflective, anti-glare film inspired by moths

MacDermid Autotype, one of the world’s leading developers and manufacturers of film and chemical products, has launched a revolutionary new anti-reflective, anti-glare film that has been inspired from detailed research into the eye structure of night flying moths. Called Autoflex MARAG (MothEye Anti-Reflective, Anti-Glare), the new film has been designed for use in a wide range of applications, including lenses for mobile phones and PDAs.

Developed jointly by MacDermid Autotype and the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy in Germany, the new Autoflex film replicates the nano-structures found in the eyes of moths. These compound eye structures have evolved to collect as much light as possible without reflection, in order to prevent moths being detected by night time predators.

Manufactured by MacDermid Autotype in the UK, using nano replication techniques, the new film is the first of its kind to combine both anti-reflective and anti-glare properties, with a hardcoat finish that is resistant to scratches, chemicals and fingerprints and which has an exceptional level of optical clarity. The result is a tough, dimensionally stable and formable film that reflects less than 1% of visible light, regardless of viewing angle, and eliminates the problems of iridescence and light glare that are often associated with conventional display materials.

Patty Yan, Product Marketing Manager for MacDermid Autotype, explains that, “The demand for anti-reflection and anti-glare films is growing steadily, in line with the increasing use of high resolution colour devices in mobile phones, PDAs and other consumer and industrial equipment. The use of our new MARAG film to replace traditional multi-layer materials can bring significant improvements in the quality and performance of displays. In particular, we anticipate that MARAG will be of benefit in small high resolution portable devices, where the combination of colour with mobility normally has an adverse affect on battery life. Our films enable enhanced perceived brightness or reduced power consumption for any type of LCD panel without sacrificing reproduction characteristics or view angle. These new optical films allow users to view their screens more easily with minimal reflection even in bright conditions”.

The new MARAG film can be produced by MacDermid Autotype on a number of substrate materials including PMMA, PC, PET and TAC for touch screen constructions, or to provide EMI shielding in displays such as in-flight, in-car or nomadic systems.

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