Epoxy Acrylates for Low Migration Food Packaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing energy-curable compositions, such as UV and EB-curable inks and coatings, often contain significant amounts of uncured monomer, which can lead to contamination in packaging applications, particularly in food and pharmaceutical packaging, where low migration of compounds is critical. Current technologies have not effectively reduced the amount of uncured monomer, and electron beam curable compositions lack effective solutions for minimizing photoinitiator use and migration risks.
Innovation Solution
The use of epoxy acrylates derived from the reaction of poly(alkylene oxide) containing glycidyl ethers with acrylic acid, which have an average degree of alkoxylation of at least 2 and multiple glycidyl ether groups, significantly reduces the amount of uncured monomer in both UV and EB-curable compositions, allowing for lower energy doses and reduced photoinitiator concentrations, thereby minimizing contamination and migration risks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional energy-curable compositions are used, then the curing process can be completed, but significant amounts of uncured monomer remain causing contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the curable composition by incorporating epoxy acrylates with specific molecular structures (average degree of alkoxylation ≥2, multiple glycidyl ether groups). This parameter change enables more complete curing reactions and reduces uncured monomer residues, resolving the contradiction between curing completeness and contamination.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite material strategy by combining epoxy acrylates derived from poly(alkylene oxide) containing glycidyl ethers with acrylic acid in specific ratios. This composite approach creates a synergistic effect that improves curing completeness while minimizing harmful uncured monomer residues, addressing both aspects of the contradiction.
2Reliability
If higher energy doses are used to improve curing completeness, then uncured monomer decreases, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters to include epoxy acrylates that are more reactive and cure more efficiently. This allows achieving the same or better curing completeness at lower energy doses, resolving the contradiction between curing effectiveness and energy consumption.
3Productivity
If photoinitiator concentration is increased to improve curing efficiency, then curing speed increases, but migration risk and contamination increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts or removes the need for high photoinitiator concentrations by using epoxy acrylates that cure efficiently at lower photoinitiator levels. This extraction approach maintains curing efficiency while eliminating the harmful effect of photoinitiator migration and contamination.
4Ease of manufacture
If conventional monomers are used to maintain composition simplicity, then formulation is easier, but uncured monomer levels remain high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite material principle by formulating a mixture of epoxy acrylates with specific characteristics (alkoxylation degree ≥2, multiple glycidyl groups). This composite formulation achieves low uncured monomer levels while maintaining reasonable formulation simplicity through defined compositional ranges.
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 incorporation of these epoxy acrylates results in a substantial reduction of uncured monomer in cured compositions, enabling faster curing processes, lower energy requirements, and reduced photoinitiator usage, thus enhancing the safety and efficiency of energy-curable inks and coatings, especially in low migration applications like food packaging.
Implementation Method 1
Energy curable compositions comprising reaction products of poly(alkylene oxide)-containing glycidyl ethers with acrylic acid
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention is drawn to low migration energy-curable compositions including epoxy acrylates derived from the reaction of poly(alkylene oxide) containing glycidyl ethers with acrylic acid. The compositions of the invention are particularly useful for the printing or coating of food packaging.