Bismuth-Modified (Meth)Acrylic Resin for Radiation Shielding
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing radiation shielding materials, particularly those containing lead, pose environmental and health risks, and lead-free alternatives like bismuth have limited applications due to low solubility in organic solvents and difficulty in forming large-area, flexible, transparent, and optically uniform products.
Innovation Solution
A resin composition comprising bismuth and a (meth)acrylic resin with specific hardness and elastic modulus, combined with a curable composition containing a first bismuth compound and monofunctional acrylate, allowing for the production of low-hardness, flexible, and radiation-shielding optical articles and antibacterial/antiviral agents.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If lead-free alternative materials (bismuth, barium, antimony, tin, tungsten) are used to replace lead in radiation shielding, then environmental and health safety is improved, but the ability to form large-area, flexible, transparent, and optically uniform products deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite materials by combining bismuth compounds with (meth)acrylic resin to create a radiation-shielding composition that overcomes the limitations of pure inorganic alternatives. The resin matrix provides flexibility, transparency, and ease of forming large-area products, while bismuth provides radiation shielding capability. This composite approach resolves the contradiction between safety and manufacturability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the chemical parameters of bismuth compounds by introducing polymerizable groups ((meth)acryloyloxy group or carboxyl group) that enable bonding to (meth)acrylic resin. This parameter change transforms insoluble bismuth compounds into resin-bonded compounds that can be processed into flexible, transparent, large-area products while maintaining radiation shielding properties.
2Reliability
If bismuth compounds with high radiation shielding ability are used, then radiation shielding performance is improved, but solubility in organic solvents containing polymerizable monomers deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical structure of bismuth compounds by introducing polymerizable functional groups ((meth)acryloyloxy or carboxyl groups) that enhance solubility in (meth)acrylic resin while preserving the high radiation shielding ability of bismuth. This parameter modification resolves the contradiction between shielding performance and solubility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite system where bismuth compounds are chemically bonded to (meth)acrylic resin through polymerizable groups. This composite structure maintains the high density and radiation shielding properties of bismuth while utilizing the good solubility and processability of the resin matrix.
3Strength
If resin hardness is increased to improve durability, then strength and wear resistance are improved, but flexibility and formability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the resin composition parameters by selecting specific (meth)acrylic resin types and controlling the curing conditions to achieve a balanced hardness that provides adequate durability while maintaining flexibility. The use of (meth)acrylic resin with appropriate molecular weight and functional group content allows tuning of these properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The composite structure of bismuth-compound-modified (meth)acrylic resin provides a synergistic effect where the resin matrix contributes flexibility and formability while the bismuth compounds provide radiation shielding and enhanced durability, achieving a balance between strength and adaptability.
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 enables the production of bismuth-containing optical articles with high transparency, surface smoothness, and optical uniformity, suitable for radiation shielding and antibacterial/antiviral applications, overcoming the limitations of existing materials.
Implementation Method 1
a cured product with sufficient optical transparency can be produced using a composition including: a bismuth compound having a (meth)acryloyl group-containing phosphate ester moiety bonded to bismuth
Implementation Method 2
a curable composition including: a first bismuth compound including bismuth and a (meth)acryloyl group; and at least one polymerizable compound excluding the first bismuth compound
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a resin composition that includes bismuth and a (meth)acryl resin, and has a Shore D hardness of 70 or less which is measured in accordance with JIS K 7215. Also provided are a curable composition that makes it possible to obtain said resin composition, a cured body of said curable composition, as well as an optical article, a rubber sheet, an eye protection article, and an anti-bacterial/anti-virus agent that include said curable body.