Cured Product Optical Element Water Absorption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Optical elements made from resin compositions with dispersed inorganic particles often suffer from water absorption, leading to variations in optical properties, especially in high-temperature high-humidity environments, causing volume expansion and degradation of light-focusing properties.
Innovation Solution
A cured product is developed containing a dispersant with a specific chemical structure, inorganic particles, and a curable resin with multiple polymerizable reactive groups, which forms crosslinks to reduce hygroscopic volume expansion and maintain optical integrity, with the dispersant and monomer proportions optimized to prevent aggregation and ensure effective dispersion of inorganic particles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If inorganic particles are dispersed in resin to improve refractive index and miniaturize optical elements, then optical performance is improved, but water absorption increases causing volume expansion and optical property degradation
Solution Approach 1:
A dispersant with specific chemical structure (containing carboxy group and acryloyloxy/methacryloyloxy group) is introduced as an intermediary between inorganic particles and resin. The dispersant content is controlled at 10-20 parts by volume per 100 parts by volume of cured product. This intermediary prevents direct water absorption by the resin-inorganic particle interface while maintaining particle dispersion, thereby resolving the contradiction between optical performance and water resistance
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the resin system by incorporating monomers with N≥2 polymerizable reactive groups at specific proportions (25-76 parts by volume per 100 parts by volume of cured product). This parameter change modifies the crosslinking density and hydrophobicity of the cured resin, reducing water absorption while maintaining optical properties
2Ease of manufacture
If resin composition is used for optical elements, then ease of manufacture is improved, but hygroscopic volume expansion occurs in high-temperature high-humidity environments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite material system consisting of curable resin, inorganic particles, and dispersant. The synergistic interaction between these components produces a cured product that combines the ease of resin manufacturing with enhanced dimensional stability. The dispersant-inorganic particle-resin composite structure prevents water-induced volume expansion while maintaining the manufacturability advantages of resin-based optical elements
Solution Approach 2:
By controlling the proportion of monomers with N≥2 polymerizable reactive groups at 25-76 parts by volume per 100 parts by volume of cured product, the patent optimizes the crosslinking density parameter. This parameter change enhances the three-dimensional network structure of the cured resin, improving resistance to hygroscopic volume expansion while preserving the ease of manufacture characteristics
3Stability of the object's composition
If dispersant is added to prevent inorganic particle aggregation, then dispersion quality is improved, but light scattering may increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the dispersant content parameter to a specific range of 10-20 parts by volume per 100 parts by volume of cured product. This parameter optimization ensures sufficient particle dispersion while preventing excessive light scattering. The balanced composition achieves both dispersion uniformity and optical clarity
Solution Approach 2:
The dispersant with specific chemical structure (formula R—X where R has acryloyloxy/methacryloyloxy group and X is carboxy group) creates a protective layer that copies the optical properties of the surrounding resin. This matching of optical properties between dispersant layer and resin matrix minimizes light scattering while maintaining effective particle dispersion
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 cured product exhibits reduced light scattering and hydroscopic expansion, maintaining high optical properties and refractive index stability even in challenging environmental conditions, thereby enhancing the performance and reliability of optical elements.
Implementation Method 1
a resin that is a product of polymerization or copolymerization of a curable resin
Data Source
AI summary
A cured product contains a dispersant, inorganic particles, and a resin that is a product of polymerization or copolymerization of a curable resin. The dispersant contains a compound represented by a formula R—X, wherein R represents a group having an acryloyloxy group or a methacryloyloxy group at an end of the molecule thereof, and X represents a carboxy group. The dispersant content is 10 parts by volume to 20 parts by volume relative to 100 parts by volume of the cured product. The curable resin contains at least one monomer having an N number of polymerizable reactive group, wherein N represents an integer of 2 or more. The proportion of the at least one monomer is 25 parts by volume to 76 parts by volume relative to 100 parts by volume of the cured product.