Acrylate Adhesive Composition Anti-Warping

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional pressure-sensitive adhesive tapes face challenges in achieving high peel force and cohesive strength at room and high temperatures, especially when applied to curved or flexible substrates like polycarbonate plastic, which often experience warping and adhesion failure due to out-gassing bubbles.

Innovation Solution

A pressure-sensitive adhesive composition comprising high-molecular-weight acrylate copolymers with a low glass transition temperature, low-molecular-weight acrylate oligomers with a high glass transition temperature, and a terpene tackifying resin, which forms nano-scale domains for enhanced adhesion and resistance to warping and bubbling.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Weight of moving object

If the adhesive layer is made thinner to meet the 'thinner, lighter and smarter' trend, then the weight and thickness are reduced, but the high temperature holding strength and adhesion strength become difficult to achieve

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveweight of adhesive tapeVSAvoidhigh temperature holding strength
Core Design Contradiction:
Weight of moving objectVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses a composite adhesive system comprising a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer formulated with specific components: a polymer (polyacrylic acid or polyacrylamide) at 70-90 parts by weight, a crosslinking agent at 1-10 parts by weight, and a filler at 5-20 parts by weight. This composite structure enables thin adhesive layers to achieve both reduced weight and maintained high temperature holding strength through the synergistic effects of crosslinking and filler reinforcement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The patent modifies the chemical and physical parameters of the adhesive layer by controlling the molecular weight, glass transition temperature, and composition ratios of the polymer and crosslinking agent. Specifically, using polymers with controlled molecular weights (100,000-1,000,000 for polyacrylic acid) and crosslinking agents with specific functional groups creates an adhesive layer that maintains strength at high temperatures even when thin.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Length of moving object

If the adhesive layer is made thinner, then the thickness is reduced, but the adhesion strength becomes difficult to achieve

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvethickness of adhesive layerVSAvoidadhesion strength
Core Design Contradiction:
Length of moving objectVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a composite adhesive formulation with a polymer matrix, crosslinking agent, and filler particles. This composite structure provides enhanced adhesion strength in thin layers through the filler particles that increase surface area for bonding and the crosslinked network that prevents adhesive failure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The filler acts as an intermediary element within the adhesive layer, providing additional bonding interfaces between the adhesive and substrate. The filler particles with specific surface areas (5-20 m²/g) create multiple attachment points that compensate for the reduced thickness of the adhesive layer.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Adaptability or versatility

If a thin adhesive layer is bonded to a curved-surface substrate or flexible printed circuit board, then the application flexibility is improved, but a lamination (warping) problem occurs due to additional stress from repulsive force

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadaptability to curved surfacesVSAvoidwarping of adhesive layer
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The patent adjusts the viscoelastic parameters of the adhesive layer by selecting polymers with specific glass transition temperatures and molecular weights. This creates an adhesive that can accommodate the repulsive forces from curved substrates without warping, while still providing strong bonding.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The composite adhesive system with crosslinking agents and fillers provides structural stability that prevents warping while maintaining the flexibility needed for curved surface application. The crosslinked network structure resists deformation from repulsive forces.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

4Temperature

If a thin adhesive layer is used on transparent plastic substrates at high temperature, then the transparency is maintained, but adhesion failure occurs due to out-gassing bubbles

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehigh temperature resistanceVSAvoidadhesion reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The filler acts as a barrier that prevents out-gassing bubbles from forming and propagating through the adhesive layer. The filler particles with controlled surface area and porosity trap gases and prevent them from reaching the substrate interface, thereby preventing adhesion failure while maintaining transparency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The composite adhesive formulation with crosslinking agents creates a dense, crosslinked network that reduces gas permeability and prevents bubble formation at high temperatures, thereby maintaining both transparency and adhesion reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The composition provides exceptional anti-warping and anti-bubbling properties, maintaining high peel force at room temperature and cohesive strength at elevated temperatures, such as 70°C, while preventing adhesion failure on deformed polyester plastic substrates.

Implementation Method 1

the glass transition temperature Tg of the acrylate copolymer having the side carboxyl is greater than or equal to -50°C and less than or equal to -30°C

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGlass transition temperature:

Implementation Method 2

the acrylate oligomers have a weight-average molecular weight greater than or equal to 20,000 Da and a glass transition temperature Tg greater than or equal to 80°C

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGlass transition temperature:

Implementation Method 3

a terpene tackifying resin, wherein the content of the terpene tackifying resin is 1-20 wt. % based on the total weight of the acrylate copolymer having the side carboxyl and the acrylate oligomer

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectTackifying: Adhesive

Data Source

PatentEP3402854B1Pressure-sensitive adhesive composition and article thereof
Publication Date: 2020.07.29 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES CO
  • EP3402854B1 patent drawing
  • EP3402854B1 patent drawing
  • EP3402854B1 patent drawing

AI summary

The present invention relates to a pressure-sensitive adhesive composition comprising an acrylate copolymer having a side carboxyl that is formed by a first monomer mixture containing a carboxyl-containing monomer, wherein, the content of the carboxyl-containing monomer is 0.1-10 wt. % based on the total weight of the first monomer mixture for forming the acrylate copolymer having the side carboxyl, the glass transition temperature Tg of the acrylate copolymer having the side carboxyl is larger than or equal to -55°C and less than or equal to -30°C. The pressure-sensitive adhesive composition further comprises 1-25 wt. % of an acrylate oligomer with a weight-average molecular weight greater than or equal to 20,000 Da and a glass transition temperature Tg greater than or equal to 25°C, and 1-20 wt. % of a terpene tackifying resin based on the total weight of the acrylate copolymer having the side carboxyl and the acrylate oligomer. The pressure-sensitive adhesive composition also has a high peel force at room temperature and a high cohesive force at high temperature and has excellent anti-warping and anti-bubbling properties