Diallyl Phthalate Patterning Material for Stereolithography

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Solution Overview

Problem

Three-dimensional stereolithography faces challenges in improving curing speed and suppressing shrinkage of shaped articles, particularly with the surface exposure technique, which struggles to control light dosage and optical path length, leading to reduced reproducibility and dimensional accuracy due to warping.

Innovation Solution

A patterning material comprising a diallyl phthalate prepolymer, photocurable monomer, and photopolymerization initiator, which is liquid at room temperature, is used in a method involving light exposure to form and laminate patterns, enhancing curing speed and minimizing shrinkage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If surface exposure technique is used to reduce material usage, then material consumption is reduced, but curing speed is insufficient and dimensional accuracy deteriorates due to uncontrollable light dosage and optical path length

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvematerial consumptionVSAvoidcuring speed
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the photocurable material by incorporating a cyclic carbonate compound with specific molecular structure and ratio (5-50 mass%), which fundamentally alters the curing characteristics to achieve both high curing speed and dimensional stability under surface exposure conditions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a composite photocurable material system combining cyclic carbonate compound, polymerizable compound, and photopolymerization initiator, where the synergistic interaction between components enables simultaneous achievement of fast curing and minimal shrinkage that cannot be achieved with single components

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Productivity

If conventional photocurable materials are used to improve curing speed, then productivity increases, but shrinkage of shaped article occurs leading to reduced manufacturing precision

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecuring speedVSAvoiddimensional accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent modifies the chemical parameters of the curing system by using cyclic carbonate compound instead of conventional acrylic/methacrylic monomers, which changes the polymerization mechanism to produce minimal volumetric shrinkage while maintaining rapid curing kinetics

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent converts the typically harmful shrinkage effect into a beneficial controlled process by using cyclic carbonate polymerization, which exhibits inherent low shrinkage characteristics, thereby achieving high curing speed without the usual penalty of dimensional inaccuracy

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Productivity

If high light intensity is applied to increase curing speed, then productivity improves, but optical path control becomes more difficult leading to warping and reduced manufacturing precision

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecuring speedVSAvoidshape reproducibility
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the photopolymerization kinetics parameters by selecting specific photopolymerization initiators and cyclic carbonate compounds that enable efficient curing at controlled light intensities, avoiding the need for excessively high intensity that would cause optical path control issues

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent enables dynamic control of the curing process by adjusting light intensity and exposure time parameters within an optimized range, allowing flexible process control that maintains both high curing speed and shape reproducibility through the unique properties of the cyclic carbonate-based material system

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

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 significantly improves curing speed and reduces shrinkage of the shaped article, maintaining high reproducibility and dimensional accuracy, making it suitable for surface exposure techniques in stereolithography.

Implementation Method 1

a photopolymerization initiator, wherein the patterning material is liquid at room temperature

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPhotopolymerization: Photopolymerisation

Data Source

PatentEP3342789B1Patterning material, patterning method and patterning device
Publication Date: 2021.06.02 NAGASE CHEMTEX CORPORATION
  • EP3342789B1 patent drawingFigure 1(a)~1(f)
  • EP3342789B1 patent drawing

AI summary

Provided is a patterning material for three-dimensional stereolithography, with which it is possible to improve the curing speed and suppress a shrinkage of the three-dimensionally shaped article. The patterning material for three-dimensional stereolithography contains a diallyl phthalate prepolymer, a photocurable monomer and a photopolymerization initiator, and is liquid at room temperature. The patterning material is suitable for use in patterning performed by surface exposure. The proportion of the diallyl phthalate prepolymer is, for example, 5 to 40 mass% in the total amount of the diallyl phthalate prepolymer and the photocurable monomer.