1. A process for recovering a homogeneous catalyst, comprising
(A) extracting a feed comprising:
(i) a glycolic acid hydrogenation effluent, comprising
(a) about 10 to about 99 weight percent ethylene glycol, about 0.5 to about 50 weight percent water, and about 0.5 to about 40 weight percent of one or more reaction by-products selected from glycolic acid, glycolic acid oligomers, ethylene glycol oligomers, glycolate esters, 1,2-propanediol, 1,2-butanediol, and polyols, each based on the total weight of said glycolic acid hydrogenation effluent; and
(b) a catalyst composition comprising ruthenium and a tridentate ligand comprising at least one phosphine selected from 1,1,1-tris(diarylphosphinomethyl)alkanes and 1,1,1-tris(dialkylphosphinomethyl)alkanes; and
(ii) additional water whereby said feed comprises about 5 to about 50 weight percent water based on the total weight of said glycolic acid hydrogenation effluent and said additional water;
with a first extractant, comprising
(i) a hydrophobic solvent selected from alkanols having from 4 to 20 carbon atoms, ketones having from 5 to 20 carbon atoms, esters having from 5 to 20 carbon atoms, ethers having from 5 to 20 carbon atoms, carboxylic acids having from 5 to 20 carbon atoms, and mixtures thereof; and
(ii) optionally, a hydrophilic solvent;
to form a first raffinate phase comprising a major amount of said ethylene glycol and a minor amount of said catalyst composition contained in said glycolic acid hydrogenation effluent and a first extract phase comprising a major amount of said catalyst composition and a minor amount of said ethylene glycol contained in said glycolic acid hydrogenation effluent;
(B) separating said first raffinate phase and said first extract phase; and
(C) recovering said catalyst composition from said first extract phase of step (B) by:
(i) extracting said first extract phase of step (B) with a second extractant comprising water, ethylene glycol, glycolate esters of ethylene glycol, glycolic acid, glycolic acid oligomers, or mixtures thereof to form a second extract phase comprising a major amount of said catalyst composition contained in said first extract phase of step (B) and a second raffinate phase comprising a minor amount of said catalyst composition contained in said first extract phase of step (B); or
(ii) distilling said first extract phase of step (B) to form a distillate comprising a major amount of said hydrophobic solvent contained in said first extract phase of step (B) and a bottoms comprising a major amount of said catalyst composition contained in said first extract phase of step (B).
2. The process according to claim 1 wherein said glycolic acid hydrogenation effluent comprises about 40 to about 99 weight percent ethylene glycol, about 0.5 to about 40 weight percent water, and about 0.5 to about 40 weight percent of said one or more reaction by-products.
3. The process according to claim 1 wherein said glycolic acid hydrogenation effluent comprises about 80 to about 95 weight percent ethylene glycol, about 1 to about 15 weight percent water, and about 1 to about 15 weight percent of said one or more reaction by-products.
4. The process according to claim 1 wherein said feed comprises about 10 to about 30 weight percent water based on the total weight of said glycolic acid hydrogenation effluent and said additional water.
5. The process according to claim 1 wherein said tridentate ligand comprises 1,1,1-tris(diphenylphosphinomethyl)methane, 1,1,1-tris(diphenylphosphinomethyl)ethane, (2-(butoxymethyl)-2-((diphenylphosphino)methyl)propane-1,3-diyl)bis(diphenylphosphine), (2-(benzyloxymethyl)-2-((diphenylphosphino)methyl)propane-1,3-diyl)bis(diphenylphosphine), 1,1,1-tris(diphenylphosphinomethyl)propane, 1,1,1-tris(diphenylphosphinomethyl)butane, 1,1,1-tris(diphenylphosphinomethyl)-2,2-dimethylpropane, 1,1,1-tris(diphenylphosphinomethyl)cyclohexane, 1,1,1-tris(dicyclohexylphosphinomethyl)ethane, 1,1,1-tris(dimethylphosphinomethyl)ethane, 1,1,1-tris(diethylphosphinomethyl)ethane, or mixtures thereof.
6. The process according to claim 1 wherein said tridentate ligand comprises 1,1,1-tris(diphenylphosphinomethyl)ethane.
7. The process according to claim 1 wherein said hydrophobic solvent is selected from 2-ethylhexanol, butanol, pentanol, hexanol, heptanol, octanol, nonanol, decanol, tetradecanol isomers, methyl isobutylketone, methyl isopropylketone, isobutylisobutyrate, ethyl acetate, n-butyl acetate, isobutylacetate, isopropylacetate, n-propyl acetate, diispropylether, dibutylether, tertiary-amyl methyl ether, 2-ethylhexanoic acid, and mixtures thereof.
8. The process according to claim 1 wherein said hydrophobic solvent further comprises a hydrocarbon having from 5 to 20 carbon atoms.
9. The process according to claim 8 wherein said hydrocarbon is selected from hexane, heptane, octane, decane, benzene, toluene, xylenes, methyl napththalenes, isoparaffinic mixed hydrocarbons having a boiling range between 90 and 325\xb0 C., and mixtures thereof.
10. The process according to claim 1 wherein said first extractant comprises a hydrophilic solvent selected from water, nitriles having from 2 to 3 carbon atoms, alkoxynitriles having from 4 to 6 carbon atoms, alkanols having from 1 to 3 carbon atoms, alkoxyalcohols having from 2 to 6 carbon atoms, pyrrolidones having from 4 to 6 carbon atoms, formamides having from 4 to 6 carbon atoms, sulfoxides having from 4 to 6 carbon atoms, diols having from 2 to 6 carbon atoms, polyols having from 2 to 6 carbon atoms, acetic acid, formic acid, \u03b1-hydroxy carboxylic acids having from 4 to 6 carbon atoms, glycolic acid oligomers having from 2 to 6 repeat units, polyol and diol esters of glycolic acid, and mixtures thereof.
11. The process according to claim 2 wherein said catalyst composition is recovered by extracting said first extract phase of step (B), and wherein said second extractant comprises mono- and diglycolate esters of ethylene glycol.
12. The process according to claim 11 wherein said tridentate ligand comprises 1,1,1-tris(diphenylphosphinomethyl)ethane and said hydrophobic solvent comprises 2-ethylhexanol and heptane.
13. The process according to claim 1 further comprising passing said second extract phase or said bottoms of step (C) to a process for the preparation of ethylene glycol by hydrogenation of glycolic acid, glycolate esters, glycolic acid oligomers, or mixtures thereof to ethylene glycol.
14. The process according to claim 1 further comprising combining said second raffinate phase of step (C) with said first extractant of step (A), distilling said second raffinate phase of step (C) to produce a hydrophobic solvent distillate and combining said hydrophobic solvent distillate with said first extractant of step (A), or combining said distillate of step (C) with said first extractant of step (A).
15. The process according to claim 1 wherein said catalyst composition is recovered by extracting said first extract phase of step (B) and wherein step (A) andor step (C) are carried out by fractional countercurrent extraction.
16. A process for recovering a homogeneous catalyst, comprising
(A) extracting a feed comprising:
(i) a glycolic acid hydrogenation effluent, comprising
(a) about 40 to about 99 weight percent ethylene glycol, about 0.5 to about 40 weight percent water, and about 0.5 to about 40 weight percent of one or more reaction by-products selected from glycolic acid, glycolic acid oligomers, ethylene glycol oligomers, glycolate esters, 1,2-propanediol, 1,2-butanediol, and polyols, each based on the total weight of said glycolic acid hydrogenation effluent; and
(b) a catalyst composition comprising ruthenium and 1,1,1-tris(diphenylphosphinomethyl)ethane; and
(ii) additional water whereby said feed comprises about 5 to about 40 weight percent water based on the total weight of said glycolic acid hydrogenation effluent and said additional water;
with a first extractant, comprising about 60 to 100 weight percent 2-ethylhexanol, pentanol, isobutyl isobutyrate, undecanone, methylisobutyl ketone, diisopropyl ether, or mixtures thereof and 0 to about 40 weight percent of a hydrocarbon having from 5 to 20 carbon atoms, each based on the total weight of said first extractant, to form a first raffinate phase comprising a major amount of said ethylene glycol and a minor amount of said catalyst composition contained in said glycolic acid hydrogenation effluent and a first extract phase comprising a major amount of said catalyst composition and a minor amount of said ethylene glycol contained in said glycolic acid hydrogenation effluent;
(B) separating said first raffinate phase and said first extract phase;
(C) extracting said first extract phase of step (B) with a second extractant comprising water, ethylene glycol, glycolate esters of ethylene glycol, glycolic acid, glycolic acid oligomers, or mixtures thereof to form a second extract phase comprising a major amount of said catalyst composition contained in said first extract phase of step (B) and a second raffinate phase comprising a minor amount of said catalyst composition contained in said first extract phase of step (B); and
(D) combining said second raffinate phase of step (C) with said first extractant of step (A), or distilling said second raffinate phase of step (C) to produce a hydrophobic solvent distillate and combining said hydrophobic solvent distillate with said first extractant of step (A).
17. The process according to claim 16 wherein said glycolic acid hydrogenation effluent comprises about 80 to about 95 weight percent ethylene glycol, about 1 to about 15 weight percent water, and about 1 to about 15 weight percent of said one or more reaction by-products, and wherein said feed comprises about 10 to about 30 weight percent water based on the total weight of said glycolic acid hydrogenation effluent and said additional water.
18. The process according to claim 16 wherein said hydrophobic solvent comprises 2-ethylhexanol and heptane, and further comprising passing said second extract phase of step (C) to a process for the preparation of ethylene glycol by hydrogenation of glycolic acid, glycolate esters, glycolic acid oligomers, or mixtures thereof to ethylene glycol.
19. A process for recovering a homogeneous catalyst, comprising
(A) contacting an aqueous mixture comprising glycolic acid, glycolate esters, methyl glycolate, oligomers of glycolic acid, or mixtures thereof, with hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst composition comprising ruthenium and 1,1,1-tris(diphenylphosphinomethyl)ethane to form a glycolic acid hydrogenation effluent comprising about 80 to about 95 weight percent ethylene glycol, about 0.5 to about 15 weight percent water, and about 0.5 to about 15 weight percent of one or more reaction by-products selected from glycolic acid, glycolic acid oligomers, ethylene glycol oligomers, glycolate esters, 1,2-propanediol, 1,2-butanediol, and polyols, each based on the total weight of said glycolic acid hydrogenation effluent, and said catalyst composition;
(B) extracting a feed comprising said glycolic acid hydrogenation effluent and additional water whereby said feed comprises about 10 to about 30 weight percent water, based on the total weight of said glycolic acid hydrogenation effluent and said additional water, with a first extractant comprising about 60 to 100 weight percent 2-ethylhexanol and 0 to about 40 weight percent of a hydrocarbon having from 5 to 20 carbon atoms, each based on the total weight of said first extractant, to form a first raffinate phase comprising a major amount of said ethylene glycol contained in said glycolic acid hydrogenation effluent and a first extract phase comprising a major amount of said catalyst composition contained in said glycolic acid hydrogenation effluent;
(C) separating said first raffinate phase and said first extract phase;
(D) extracting said first extract phase of step (C) with a second extractant comprising water, ethylene glycol, glycolate esters of ethylene glycol, glycolic acid, glycolic acid oligomers, or mixtures thereof to form a second extract phase comprising a major amount of said catalyst composition contained in said first extract phase of step (C) and a second raffinate phase comprising a minor amount of said catalyst composition contained in said first extract phase of step (C); and
(E) combining said second extract phase of step (D) with said aqueous mixture of step (A).
20. A process for recovering a homogeneous catalyst, comprising
(A) extracting a feed comprising:
(i) a glycolic acid hydrogenation effluent, comprising
(a) about 0.5 to about 50 weight percent ethylene glycol, about 0.5 to about 50 weight percent water, and about 25 to about 99 weight percent of one or more reaction by-products selected from glycolic acid, glycolic acid oligomers, ethylene glycol oligomers, glycolate esters, 1,2-propanediol, 1,2-butanediol, and polyols, each based on the total weight of said glycolic acid hydrogenation effluent; and
(b) a catalyst composition comprising ruthenium and a tridentate ligand comprising at least one phosphine selected from 1,1,1-tris(diarylphosphinomethyl)alkanes and 1,1,1-tris(dialkylphosphinomethyl)alkanes; and
(ii) additional water whereby said feed comprises about 5 to about 95 weight percent water based on the total weight of said glycolic acid hydrogenation effluent and said additional water;
with a first extractant, comprising
(i) a hydrophobic solvent selected from alkanols having from 4 to 20 carbon atoms, ketones having from 5 to 20 carbon atoms, esters having from 5 to 20 carbon atoms, ethers having from 5 to 20 carbon atoms, carboxylic acids having from 5 to 20 carbon atoms, and mixtures thereof; and
(ii) optionally, a hydrophilic solvent;
to form a first raffinate phase comprising a major amount of said one or more reaction by-products and a minor amount of said catalyst composition contained in said glycolic acid hydrogenation effluent and a first extract phase comprising a major amount of said catalyst composition and a minor amount of said one or more reaction by-products contained in said glycolic acid hydrogenation effluent;
(B) separating said first raffinate phase and said first extract phase; and
(C) recovering said catalyst composition from said first extract phase of step (B) by:
(i) extracting said first extract phase of step (B) with a second extractant comprising water, ethylene glycol, glycolate esters of ethylene glycol, glycolic acid, glycolic acid oligomers, or mixtures thereof to form a second extract phase comprising a major amount of said catalyst composition contained in said first extract phase of step (B) and a second raffinate phase comprising a minor amount of said catalyst composition contained in said first extract phase of step (B); or
(ii) distilling said first extract phase of step (B) to form a distillate comprising a major amount of said hydrophobic solvent contained in said first extract phase of step (B) and a bottoms comprising a major amount of said catalyst composition contained in said first extract phase of step (B).
21. The process according to claim 20 wherein said glycolic acid hydrogenation effluent comprises about 0.5 to about 30 weight percent ethylene glycol, about 0.5 to about 30 weight percent water, and about 40 to about 99 weight percent of said one or more reaction by-products.
22. The process according to claim 20 wherein said glycolic acid hydrogenation effluent comprises about 0.5 to about 20 weight percent ethylene glycol, about 0.5 to about 20 weight percent water, and about 70 to about 99 weight percent of said one or more reaction by-products.
23. The process according to claim 20 wherein said feed comprises about 10 to about 85 weight percent water based on the total weight of said glycolic acid hydrogenation effluent and said additional water.
24. The process according to claim 20 wherein said tridentate ligand comprises 1,1,1-tris(diphenylphosphinomethyl)methane, 1,1,1-tris(diphenylphosphinomethyl)ethane, (2-(butoxymethyl)-2-((diphenylphosphino)methyl)propane-1,3-diyl)bis(diphenylphosphine), (2-(benzyloxymethyl)-2-((diphenylphosphino)methyl)propane-1,3-diyl)bis(diphenylphosphine), 1,1,1-tris(diphenylphosphinomethyl)propane, 1,1,1-tris(diphenylphosphinomethyl)butane, 1,1,1-tris(diphenylphosphinomethyl)-2,2-dimethylpropane, 1,1,1-tris(diphenylphosphinomethyl)cyclohexane, 1,1,1-tris(dicyclohexylphosphinomethyl)ethane, 1,1,1-tris(dimethylphosphinomethyl)ethane, 1,1,1-tris(diethylphosphinomethyl)ethane, or mixtures thereof.
25. The process according to claim 20 wherein said tridentate ligand comprises 1,1,1-tris(diphenylphosphinomethyl)ethane.
26. The process according to claim 20 wherein said hydrophobic solvent is selected from 2-ethylhexanol, butanol, pentanol, hexanol, heptanol, octanol, nonanol, decanol, tetradecanol isomers, methyl isobutylketone, methyl isopropylketone, isobutylisobutyrate, ethyl acetate, n-butyl acetate, isobutylacetate, isopropylacetate, n-propyl acetate, diispropylether, dibutylether, tertiary-amyl methyl ether, 2-ethylhexanoic acid, and mixtures thereof.
27. The process according to claim 20 wherein said hydrophobic solvent further comprises a hydrocarbon having from 5 to 20 carbon atoms.
28. The process according to claim 27 wherein said hydrocarbon is selected from hexane, heptane, octane, decane, benzene, toluene, xylenes, methyl napththalenes, isoparaffinic mixed hydrocarbons having a boiling range between 90 and 325\xb0 C., and mixtures thereof.
29. The process according to claim 20 wherein said first extractant comprises a hydrophilic solvent selected from water, nitriles having from 2 to 3 carbon atoms, alkoxynitriles having from 4 to 6 carbon atoms, alkanols having from 1 to 3 carbon atoms, alkoxyalcohols having from 2 to 6 carbon atoms, pyrrolidones having from 4 to 6 carbon atoms, formamides having from 4 to 6 carbon atoms, sulfoxides having from 4 to 6 carbon atoms, diols having from 2 to 6 carbon atoms, polyols having from 2 to 6 carbon atoms, acetic acid, formic acid, \u03b1-hydroxy carboxylic acids having from 4 to 6 carbon atoms, glycolic acid oligomers having from 2 to 6 repeat units, polyol and diol esters of glycolic acid, and mixtures thereof.
30. The process according to claim 21 wherein said catalyst composition is recovered by extracting said first extract phase of step (B), and wherein said second extractant comprises mono- and diglycolate esters of ethylene glycol.
31. The process according to claim 20 wherein said tridentate ligand comprises 1,1,1-tris(diphenylphosphinomethyl)ethane and said hydrophobic solvent comprises pentanol and heptane, and wherein said catalyst composition is recovered by distilling said first extract phase of step (B).
32. The process according to claim 20 further comprising passing said second extract phase or said bottoms of step (C) to a process for the preparation of ethylene glycol by hydrogenation of glycolic acid, glycolate esters, glycolic acid oligomers, or mixtures thereof to ethylene glycol.
33. The process according to claim 20 further comprising combining said second raffinate phase of step (C) with said first extractant of step (A), distilling said second raffinate phase of step (C) to produce a hydrophobic solvent distillate and combining said hydrophobic solvent distillate with said first extractant of step (A), or combining said distillate of step (C) with said first extractant of step (A).
34. The process according to claim 20 wherein said catalyst composition is recovered by extracting said first extract phase of step (B), and wherein step (A) andor step (C) are carried out by fractional countercurrent extraction.
35. A process for recovering a homogeneous catalyst, comprising
(A) extracting a feed comprising:
(i) a glycolic acid hydrogenation effluent, comprising
(a) about 0.5 to about 30 weight percent ethylene glycol, about 0.5 to about 30 weight percent water, and about 40 to about 99 weight percent of one or more reaction by-products selected from glycolic acid, glycolic acid oligomers, ethylene glycol oligomers, glycolate esters, 1,2-propanediol, 1,2-butanediol, and polyols, each based on the total weight of said glycolic acid hydrogenation effluent; and
(b) a catalyst composition comprising ruthenium and 1,1,1-tris(diphenylphosphinomethyl)ethane; and
(ii) additional water whereby said feed comprises about 10 to about 90 weight percent water based on the total weight of said glycolic acid hydrogenation effluent and said additional water;
with a first extractant, comprising about 60 to 100 weight percent 2-ethylhexanol, butanol, pentanol isobutyl isobutyrate, undecanone, methylisobutyl ketone, diisopropyl ether, or mixtures thereof, and 0 to about 40 weight percent of a hydrocarbon having from 5 to 20 carbon atoms, each based on the total weight of said first extractant, to form a first raffinate phase comprising a major amount of said one or more reaction by-products and a minor amount of said catalyst composition contained in said glycolic acid hydrogenation effluent and a first extract phase comprising a major amount of said catalyst composition and a minor amount of said one or more reaction by-products contained in said glycolic acid hydrogenation effluent;
(B) separating said first raffinate phase and said first extract phase;
(C) distilling said first extract phase of step (B) to form a distillate comprising a major amount of said hydrophobic solvent contained in said first extract phase of step (B) and a bottoms comprising a major amount of said catalyst composition contained in said first extract phase of step (B); and
(D) combining said distillate of step (C) with said first extractant of step (A).
36. The process according to claim 35 wherein said glycolic acid hydrogenation effluent comprises about 0.5 to about 20 weight percent ethylene glycol, about 0.5 to about 20 weight percent water, and about 70 to about 99 weight percent of said one or more reaction by-products, and wherein said feed comprises about 10 to about 85 weight percent water based on the total weight of said glycolic acid hydrogenation effluent and said additional water.
37. The process according to claim 35 wherein said hydrophobic solvent comprises pentanol and heptane, and further comprising passing said bottoms to a process for the preparation of ethylene glycol by hydrogenation of glycolic acid, glycolate esters, glycolic acid oligomers, or mixtures thereof to ethylene glycol.
38. A process for recovering a homogeneous catalyst, comprising
(A) contacting an aqueous mixture comprising glycolic acid, glycolate esters, methyl glycolate, oligomers of glycolic acid, or mixtures thereof, with hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst composition comprising ruthenium and 1,1,1-tris(diphenylphosphinomethyl)ethane to form a glycolic acid hydrogenation product, concentrating said glycolic acid hydrogenation product to form a glycolic acid hydrogenation effluent comprising about 0.5 to about 20 weight percent ethylene glycol, about 0.5 to about 20 weight percent water, and about 70 to about 99 weight percent of one or more reaction by-products selected from glycolic acid, glycolic acid oligomers, ethylene glycol oligomers, glycolate esters, 1,2-propanediol, 1,2-butanediol, and polyols, each based on the total weight of said glycolic acid hydrogenation effluent, and said catalyst composition;
(B) extracting a feed comprising said glycolic acid hydrogenation effluent and additional water whereby said feed comprises about 10 to about 85 weight percent water, based on the total weight of said glycolic acid hydrogenation effluent and said additional water, with a first extractant, comprising about 60 to 100 weight percent pentanol and about 0 to about 40 weight percent of a hydrocarbon having from 5 to 20 carbon atoms, each based on the total weight of said first extractant, to form a first raffinate phase comprising a major amount of said one or more reaction by-products contained in said glycolic acid hydrogenation effluent and a first extract phase comprising a major amount of said catalyst composition contained in said glycolic acid hydrogenation effluent;
(C) separating said first raffinate phase and said first extract phase;
(D) distilling said first extract phase of step (C) to form a distillate comprising a major amount of said hydrophobic solvent contained in said first extract phase of step (C) and a bottoms comprising a major amount of said catalyst composition contained in said first extract phase of step (C); and
(E) combining said bottoms of step (D) with said aqueous mixture of step (A).
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method, comprising:
heating an optical element that includes at least one non-planar surface; and
after heating the optical element, applying an optical material to at least one non-planar surface on the heated optical element,
wherein heating the optical element comprises heating a plurality of LED chips arranged on a common surface.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising curing the optical material upon application to the optical element.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the optical material comprises a luminescent material.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein the optical material further comprises a binder and wherein curing the optical material further comprises curing the binder.
5. The method of claim 3 wherein the optical material further comprises a binder and a solvent and wherein curing the optical material comprises curing the binder and evaporating the solvent.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the optical element comprises a LED structure.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein applying the optical material comprises:
atomizing a luminescent solution comprising an optical material suspended in a solution using a flow of pressurized gas; and
spraying the atomized luminescent solution onto the heated optical element using the flow of pressurized gas.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein spraying the luminescent solution comprises spraying the luminescent solution with an air pressurized spray system.
9. The method of claim 7, wherein the luminescent solution comprises wavelength conversion particles suspended in a solution including a volatile solvent and a binder material, the method further comprising evaporating the volatile solvent via thermal energy in the heated LED structure from the luminescent solution to provide a conformal layer including wavelength conversion particles on the LED structure.
10. The method of claim 7, wherein the luminescent solution comprises wavelength conversion particles suspended in a solution including a nonvolatile solvent and a binder material, the method further comprising curing the nonvolatile solvent andor binder via thermal energy in the heated LED structure to provide a conformal layer including the wavelength conversion particles on the LED structure.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein the optical element comprises an LED chip having a top surface and a wirebond pad on the top surface, the method further comprising bonding a wire to the wirebond pad before heating the LED chip and before applying the optical material on the heated optical element.
12. The method of claim 1, wherein the optical element comprises a LED structure, further comprising:
energizing the LED structure to cause the LED structure to emit light;
testing the optical characteristics of the LED structure using the emitted light; and
in response to the optical characteristics of the LED structure not being within a predetermined binning threshold, applying additional optical material comprising wavelength conversion particles suspended in a solution including a volatile solvent and a binder material onto the heated LED structure.
13. The method of claim 1, wherein the optical element comprises an LED chip having a top surface and a wirebond pad on the top surface, the method further comprising mounting the LED within an optical cavity of an LED package before heating the LED chip and applying the optical material comprising wavelength conversion particles suspended in a solution including a solvent and a binder material onto the heated LED chip.
14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:
curing the binder material via thermal energy from the heated LED chip; and
dispensing an encapsulant material into the optical cavity over the LED chip, thereby covering the LED chip including the wavelength conversion materials and the cured binder material with the encapsulant material.
15. The method of claim 1, wherein heating the optical element comprises heating the optical element to a temperature in a range of about 90 degrees Celsius to about 155 degrees Celsius.
16. The method of claim 1, wherein heating the optical element comprises applying heat to the optical element before applying the optical material on the heated optical element.
17. The method of claim 1, wherein heating the optical element comprises applying heat to the optical element while applying the optical material on the heated optical element.
18. The method of claim 1, wherein applying the optical material onto the heated optical element comprises spraying a first layer of an atomized luminescent solution onto a heated LED structure and then spraying a second layer of an atomized luminescent solution onto the first layer of the atomized luminescent solution.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein the first layer of the atomized luminescent solution is cured before spraying the second layer of the atomized luminescent solution.
20. The method of claim 18,
wherein the atomized luminescent solution comprises a first luminescent solution that is sprayed in the first layer and a second luminescent solution that is sprayed in the second layer, and
wherein the first luminescent solution is different from the second luminescent solution.
21. The method of claim 1, wherein applying the optical material comprises:
atomizing a luminescent solution comprising an optical material suspended in a solution using a flow of pressurized gas; and
spraying the atomized luminescent solution onto the heated optical element using the flow of pressurized gas, and
wherein spraying the atomized luminescent solution onto the heated optical element comprises spraying the atomized luminescent solution onto the heated optical element using a plurality of spray heads positioned to spray towards the heated optical element at a plurality of angles relative to a surface of the heated optical element.
22. The method of claim 1, further comprising agitating the optical materials before andor during applying an optical material.
23. The method according to Claim 1, wherein applying the optical material comprises applying the optical material on the heated plurality of LED chips that are arranged on the common surface.
24. The method according to claim 23, further comprising positioning a lens that includes a cavity that is in a receiving relationship to the plurality of LED chips.
25. The method according to claim 24, further comprising dispensing an encapsulate material within the cavity of the lens.
26. The method according to claim 25, wherein the encapsulant secures the lens to the common surface.
27. The method according to Claim 1, wherein the plurality of LED chips include a first portion of the LED chips that are configured to emit might having a first dominant wavelength and a second portion of the LED chips that are configured to emit light having a second dominant wavelength that is different from the first dominant wavelength.
28. The method according to claim 1, wherein the optical element includes an LED flip-chip having a wire bond free electrical termination.
29. The method according to claim 1, wherein applying the optical material comprises applying first phosphor particles that are configured to emit light having a first dominant wavelength.
30. The method according to claim 29, wherein applying the optical material further comprises applying second phosphor particles that are configured to emit light having a second dominant wavelength that is different from the first dominant wavelength.
31. The method according to claim 30, wherein applying the optical material further comprises applying the first phosphor particles and the second phosphor particles in a same layer.
32. The method of claim 1, wherein the optical element includes at least one beveled surface and the optical material is applied to the at least one beveled surface.
33. A method, comprising:
heating an optical element that includes at least one non-planar surface; and
after heating the optical element, applying an optical material to at least one non-planar surface on the heated optical,
wherein the optical element comprises an LED wafer, the method further comprising singulating the LED wafer into a plurality of LED chips after applying the optical material on the heated LED wafer.
34. A method, comprising:
heating an optical element that includes at least one non-planar surface; and
after heating the optical element, applying an optical material to at least one non-planar surface on the heated optical element, wherein the optical element comprises an LED wafer, the method further comprising
forming a plurality of sacrificial patterns on a surface of the LED wafer, wherein applying the optical material onto the heated LED structure comprises spraying an atomized luminescent solution onto the sacrificial patterns and onto exposed surfaces of the LED wafer between the sacrificial patterns.
35. The method of claim 34, further comprising:
before forming the plurality of sacrificial patterns, forming a plurality of electrical contacts on the surface of the LED wafer,
wherein forming the plurality of sacrificial patterns comprises forming at least a portion of the plurality of sacrificial patterns on the plurality of electrical contacts.
36. The method of claim 34, further comprising removing the sacrificial patterns and the portion of the applied optical material on the sacrificial patterns to expose the plurality of electrical contacts.
37. A method of forming a device for interacting with emitted light, the method comprising:
heating an optical element;
applying a first conformal layer of optical material to the heated optical element;
testing a light emission characteristic of the optical element; and
in response to the light emission characteristic of the optical element not being acceptable, applying a second conformal layer of optical material on the optical element.
38. The method of claim 37, wherein applying the first conformal layer comprises:
atomizing a luminescent solution comprising an optical material suspended in a solution using a flow of pressurized gas;
spraying the atomized luminescent solution onto the heated optical element using the flow of pressurized gas to provide a first conformal layer of optical material that is cured via thermal energy of the heated optical element.
39. The method of claim 38, wherein the optical element comprises an LED structure, further comprising:
before testing the light emission characteristic, allowing the heated LED structure to cool; and
in response to the light emission characteristic of the LED structure not being acceptable, heating the LED structure before applying the second conformal layer.
40. The method of claim 38, wherein the first conformal layer of optical material comprises a first phosphor particle that is configured to emit light having a first wavelength in response to light emitted by the LED structure, and wherein the second conformal layer of optical material comprises a second phosphor particle that is configured to emit light having a second wavelength that is different from the first wavelength, in response to light emitted by the LED structure.
41. A method, comprising:
curing an optical material on a light transmissive optical element during application of the optical material to the light transmissive optical element,
wherein curing the optical material comprises heating the light transmissive optical element before application of the optical material to the light transmissive optical element.
42. The method of claim 41, wherein the light transmissive optical element is spaced apart from a light emitting element.
43. The method of claim 42, wherein the light transmissive optical element includes a substantially transparent carrier on which the optical material is applied.
44. The method according to claim 41, wherein the light transmissive optical element includes a reflective element that is configured to receive light from the light emitting element.