Cycloaliphatic Epoxide Siloxane Lens Composition

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current resinous materials for lenses, such as cycloolefin polymers and polycarbonates, lack heat resistance and suffer from yellowing when exposed to high-temperature environments, making them unsuitable for vehicle-mounted camera lenses that require rapid curing and long-term transparency.

Innovation Solution

A curable composition comprising a cycloaliphatic epoxide, a siloxane compound with two or more glycidyl groups, and a cationic-polymerization initiator, which forms a cured product with excellent heat resistance and anti-yellowing properties, allowing rapid curing and maintaining transparency over time.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If thermoplastic resins (cycloolefin polymers and polycarbonates) are used for lenses, then workability and ease of manufacture are improved, but heat resistance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveworkabilityVSAvoidheat resistance

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses a composite curable composition containing both a cycloaliphatic epoxide (for curability and transparency) and a siloxane compound with epoxycyclohexyl groups (for heat resistance and anti-yellowing properties). This composite approach combines the advantages of different material systems to achieve both ease of manufacture through rapid curing and excellent heat resistance, resolving the contradiction between workability and heat resistance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Temperature

If an epoxide with an isocyanurate ring structure is used, then heat resistance is improved, but curability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat resistanceVSAvoidcurability

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent modifies the epoxide structure by using a cycloaliphatic epoxide with specific structural parameters (Formula 1 with X being a single bond or linkage group) rather than the conventional isocyanurate ring structure. This structural parameter change enables both rapid curability and heat resistance, resolving the contradiction between curability and heat resistance by finding an optimal structural configuration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Productivity

If conventional epoxides are used for rapid curing, then curability is improved, but transparency and anti-yellowing properties deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovecurabilityVSAvoidyellowing and transparency loss

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines a cycloaliphatic epoxide (providing rapid curability) with a siloxane compound containing epoxycyclohexyl groups (providing anti-yellowing properties and transparency). The siloxane component specifically addresses the yellowing issue while the cycloaliphatic epoxide ensures rapid curing, thus resolving the contradiction between curability and transparency maintenance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

4Temperature

If glass is used for lenses, then heat resistance and transparency are improved, but workability and manufacturing cost deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat resistanceVSAvoidworkability

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces expensive, difficult-to-process glass with a resinous curable composition that can be molded at lower temperatures. The composition is designed to achieve glass-like heat resistance and transparency properties through its chemical composition (cycloaliphatic epoxide + siloxane compound), eliminating the need for high-temperature glass shaping processes and enabling repeated mold use, thus resolving the contradiction between heat resistance and workability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

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 curable composition rapidly forms a cured product with excellent heat resistance and transparency, suitable for high-temperature environments, making it suitable for wafer-level lenses, especially in vehicle-mounted cameras.

Implementation Method 1

a curable composition including a cycloaliphatic epoxide, a siloxane compound containing two or more glycidyl groups per molecule and a curing agent

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCationic polymerization: Photopolymerisation

Implementation Method 2

the siloxane compound (B) contains two or more glycidyl groups per molecule

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectChemical bonding: Chemical Bonding

Data Source

PatentEP3112389B1Curable composition, cured product thereof, and wafer level lens

Publication Date: 2019.06.05 DAICEL CORP

AI summary

Provided is a curable composition that is rapidly cured to form a cured product. The cured product resists yellowing, successfully maintains excellent transparency over a long time even in a high-temperature environment, and is advantageously usable as or in a wafer-level lens. The curable composition according to the present invention includes a cycloaliphatic epoxide (A), a siloxane compound (B), and a curing agent (C). The cycloaliphatic epoxide (A) is represented by Formula (1). The siloxane compound (B) contains two or more glycidyl groups per molecule. In the formula, X is selected from a single bond and a linkage group.