Acrylate Monomers for Low Viscosity Printing Inks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current radiation-curable printing inks face challenges in achieving low viscosity, high reactivity, and good adhesion on plastic substrates while avoiding the use of toxic monomers like N-vinyl-pyrrolidone and N-vinyl-caprolactam due to health concerns and end-user acceptance issues.
Innovation Solution
The development of compositions comprising specific (meth)acrylate monomers, including a monofunctional monomer acrylate (PEA), which combine low viscosity, high reactivity, and excellent adhesion on various substrates without requiring N-vinyl-pyrrolidone and N-vinyl-caprolactam, formulated with specific weight percentages of different monomers, photoinitiators, colorants, stabilizers, and additives.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If N-vinyl-pyrrolidone (NVP) and N-vinyl-caprolactam (NVC) are used as reactive diluents, then good adhesion and reactivity are achieved, but health concerns and toxicity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes NVP and NVC from the composition entirely, replacing them with alternative monomers that provide similar performance without the toxicological concerns. This extraction of harmful substances while maintaining functional performance directly resolves the contradiction between adhesion reliability and toxicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical parameters by introducing specific (meth)acrylate monomers with particular molecular structures and properties. These parameter changes in monomer selection achieve the same adhesion and reactivity goals without the harmful effects of NVP and NVC.
2Force
If conventional monomers are used to achieve low viscosity, then reactivity and adhesion may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes multiple parameters simultaneously by selecting specific (meth)acrylate monomers with controlled molecular weights, functional groups, and structural characteristics. This multi-parameter optimization achieves the balance between low viscosity and high reactivity that conventional single-parameter approaches cannot achieve.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite monomer system combining different (meth)acrylate monomers, each contributing specific properties. This composite approach allows the formulation to achieve low viscosity from certain monomers while maintaining high reactivity through others, resolving the contradiction between these opposing requirements.
3Productivity
If N-vinyl-caprolactam is used as a reactive diluent, then excellent adhesion and cure speed are achieved, but health safety and end-user acceptance deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts NVC from the formulation entirely, eliminating the health and safety concerns associated with this monomer. The replacement monomers are selected to provide equivalent or superior cure speed and adhesion performance without the toxicological issues, directly resolving the contradiction between productivity and health safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs alternative monomers that, while potentially requiring different formulation strategies, provide the necessary performance without the long-term health concerns of NVC. This substitution prioritizes user safety while maintaining the productivity requirements through careful monomer selection and formulation optimization.
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 compositions demonstrate outstanding performance with very low viscosity, high cure speed, and excellent adhesion on plastic substrates, matching or exceeding the performance of N-vinyl-caprolactam while being safer and more acceptable for handling.
Implementation Method 1
The composition is cured by exposure to actinic radiation
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to compositions, comprising. a)1.00 to 65.00% by weight of at least one compound of formula (I), wherein R1, R2, R3, R4 are each independently H, C1-C6-alkyl, C1-C6-alkoxy, or C1-C6-alkoxy-C1-C6-alkyl; R is H or C1-C6-alkyl; X is CR6R7, O, or NR8; R6R7 are each independently H, C1-C6-alkyl, C1-C6-alkoxy, or C1-C6-alkoxy-C1-C6-alkyl; R8 is H, C1-C6-alkyl, or C1-C6-alkoxy-C1-C6-alkyl; k is 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5, as component A; b) 1.00 to 60.00% by weight of at least one monomer having two (meth)acrylate groups and having a molecular weight of no more than 500 Dalton, as component B; c) 0 to 25% by weight of at least one monomer having at least three (meth)acrylate groups and having a molecular weight of no more than 600 Dalton, as component C; and d) 1.00 to 30.00% by weight of at least one polymer having at least two (meth)acrylate groups and having a molecular weight of at least 700 Dalton, as component D; with the proviso that the amount of components A + B is at least 50% by weight, as well as the use of these compositions as printing inks, in particular inkjet printing inks.