Inkjet-Printable Acrylate Compositions for Oxide and Nitride Adhesion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing curable compositions struggle with adhesion to substrates like silicon oxide, silicon nitride, and silicon oxynitride, leading to partial layer lift-off, especially in stringent optical and electronic device applications, due to sparse surface functional groups and the generation of by-products that cause micro-scale defects.
Innovation Solution
A curable (meth)acrylate-based composition combined with a co-polymerizable adhesion promoter component, comprising cyclic imides or isocyanates with protic acids, provides improved adhesion by reacting with SiOH and NH groups on these substrates without generating by-products, ensuring solvent-free and inkjet-printable formulations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional curable compositions are used on silicon oxide, silicon nitride, or silicon oxynitride substrates, then the composition can be applied, but adhesion is poor leading to partial layer lift-off
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces adhesion promotion agents as intermediary substances that react with both the substrate surface groups (SiOH, NH) and the curable composition. These agents act as a chemical bridge, forming strong bonds with the substrate while remaining compatible with the (meth)acrylate-based composition, thereby eliminating the adhesion failure without compromising the composition's curability or optical properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the chemical composition parameters of the curable system by incorporating specific adhesion promotion agents with functional groups that react with substrate surface groups. This changes the chemical interaction parameters between the composition and substrate, transforming the adhesion mechanism from weak physical adsorption to strong chemical bonding, thereby resolving the layer lift-off issue.
2Strength
If adhesion promotion agents are added to improve adhesion, then adhesion to substrate increases, but the composition complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite curable composition by combining the base (meth)acrylate-based polymer with adhesion promotion agents in specific ratios. This composite formulation integrates the adhesion-enhancing functionality directly into the existing composition system, allowing the adhesion promoters to work synergistically with the base polymer rather than as separate add-on components, thereby managing complexity while improving performance.
3Ease of manufacture
If the composition is made solvent-free for inkjet printing, then printability improves, but viscosity control becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adjusts the compositional parameters of the solvent-free system by selecting specific (meth)acrylate monomers, crosslinking agents, and adhesion promotion agents with appropriate molecular weights and concentrations. These parameter optimizations ensure the composition achieves the required viscosity range for inkjet printing (typically 10-100 cP) while maintaining solvent-free formulation, thereby resolving the contradiction between printability and viscosity control.
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 solution enhances adhesion to silicon oxide, silicon nitride, and silicon oxynitride surfaces, forming optically clear layers with increased durability and preventing defects, as demonstrated by improved crosshatch adhesion tests.
Implementation Method 1
provides improved adhesion by reacting with SiOH and NH groups on these substrates without generating by-products
Implementation Method 2
curable (meth)acrylate-based component comprises at least a first monomer comprising at least one of an aromatic (meth)acrylate monomer or a branched alkyl (meth)acrylate monomer with 12 or more carbon atoms, at least one crosslinking monomer, and at least one initiator
Data Source
AI summary
Curable compositions include a curable (meth)acrylate-based component and a co-polymerizable adhesion promoter component. The curable (meth)acrylate-based component has an aromatic (meth)acrylate monomer and/or a branched alkyl (meth)acrylate monomer with 12 or more carbon atoms, a crosslinking monomer, and an initiator. The co-polymerizable adhesion promoter component has a co-polymerizable cyclic imide compound and a co-polymerizable acid-functional compound, or a co-polymerizable isocyanate compound and a co-polymerizable acid-functional compound. The curable composition is solvent free and inkjet printable. Upon curing the curable composition forms an optically clear layer that has increased adhesion to substrates such as silicon oxide, silicon nitride, or silicon oxynitride.