Coloured Copolycondensates for Migration-Free Polymer Fluorescence
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing colored and fluorescent colorants used in semicrystalline polymers, especially for applications involving skin contact or food packaging, face issues with migration, light stability, and fluorescence quenching due to interactions with crystalline particles, leading to unsatisfactory color strength and migration problems.
Innovation Solution
The development of migration-free colored copolycondensates formed by reacting colorants with specific reactive groups and selected dicarboxylic acids, diols, diamines, and amino acids, which are incorporated into a polymeric shell to prevent energy transfer and maintain fluorescence without spectral shifts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of stationary object
If fluorescent colorants are used in pigmentary form, then light stability is improved, but fluorescence is quenched due to energy transfer processes within crystalline particles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite polymeric shell combining dicarboxylic acid, diol, diamine, and amino acid components that encapsulates the fluorescent colorant. This composite structure provides both the light stability of a pigmentary form and prevents intra-particle energy transfer quenching by distributing colorant molecules within the polymeric matrix rather than in crystalline aggregates.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent forms a polymeric shell around the fluorescent colorant molecules using the reaction products of dicarboxylic acids, diols, diamines, and amino acids. This shell structure physically isolates the colorant molecules while maintaining flexibility and adhesion to the substrate, preventing both crystalline formation and migration.
2Illumination intensity
If colorants are used in dissolved form, then color strength and saturation are improved, but migration occurs leading to color fading and environmental contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent forms a polymeric shell around the fluorescent colorant molecules using the reaction products of dicarboxylic acids, diols, diamines, and amino acids. This shell structure physically isolates the colorant molecules while maintaining flexibility and adhesion to the substrate, preventing both crystalline formation and migration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the fluorescent colorant with the polymeric shell components (dicarboxylic acid, diol, diamine, amino acid) through chemical reaction to form an integrated copolycondensate structure. This merging ensures the colorant remains firmly bound within the polymer matrix, preventing migration while maintaining color intensity.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If existing polymeric colorants are used to control migration, then migration is reduced, but fluorescence intensity is weakened or spectral shifts occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the polymeric shell by selecting specific dicarboxylic acids, diols, diamines, and amino acids that create optimal spacing and chemical environment for the fluorescent colorant. This parameter optimization maintains fluorescence intensity while achieving migration control, unlike existing polymeric colorants that weaken fluorescence.
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 resulting copolycondensates exhibit high migration fastness, thermal and light stability, and excellent stability against food constituents and environmental factors, ensuring intense fluorescence without migration or color shifts, making them suitable for packaging applications.
Implementation Method 1
When the fluorescent colourant is in pigmentary form, the photoexcited state is deactivated (quenched) by energy transfer processes within the crystalline particles... this is also the case to a certain degree when the molecules of the fluorescent colourant are incorporated in a partly crystalline, polymeric protective shell
Implementation Method 2
coloured, especially blue, red and preferably fluorescent, migration-free copolycondensates which are obtained by reaction of colourants substituted by at least two reactive groups which do not interfere with one another, with selected dicarboxylic acids, diols, diamines and/or amino acids
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to colored and/or fluorescent copolycondensates which are obtained by reaction of colorants substituted by at least two reactive groups which do not interfere with one another, with selected cyclic dicarboxylic acids (especially 1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid), aliphatic diols (especially ethylene glycol), cyclic diamines (especially isophoronediamine) and/or amino acids in particular amounts.