Hot Melt Adhesive Composition for Low-Temperature Flexibility

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Solution Overview

Problem

Hot melt adhesives used in automobile interiors face challenges in maintaining flexibility and adhesiveness at low temperatures, leading to potential cracking during storage and handling in cold conditions.

Innovation Solution

A hot melt adhesive composition comprising a 1-butene homopolymer, an ethylene-based polymer with a melting point below 80°C, an α-olefin copolymer with a melting point of 80°C or higher, a tackifying resin, wax, and a liquid softener, which provides excellent adhesiveness, heat resistance, and flexibility at low temperatures.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If a reactive hot melt adhesive is used to achieve heat resistance, then heat resistant creep properties are improved, but the adhesive becomes hard to obtain a balance between curing time and stability at coating operation and storage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat resistant creep propertiesVSAvoidbalance between curing time and stability
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The adhesive system is segmented into two separate components: a polyolefin resin component and a crosslinking agent component. These components are mixed immediately before application, allowing the adhesive to remain stable during storage and coating operations, then undergo crosslinking after application to achieve heat resistance. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by separating the stability phase from the curing phase.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The polyolefin resin is prepared in advance with grafted functional groups that will later react with the crosslinking agent. This preliminary preparation allows the adhesive to be stored and handled easily, then activates the crosslinking function only when needed after application, achieving both ease of operation and heat resistance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Strength

If a reactive polyolefin adhesive modified with silane is used to improve adhesiveness on polyolefin molded products, then adhesiveness is improved, but organic solvent is discharged into the atmosphere by hydrolysis reaction at curing

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveadhesivenessVSAvoidorganic solvent discharge
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The harmful organic solvent is extracted and removed from the adhesive system entirely. Instead of using solvent-based reactive adhesives, the invention employs a solventless two-component system where water or moisture serves as the reaction medium, eliminating atmospheric solvent discharge while maintaining adhesiveness through crosslinking.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The chemical reaction mechanism is changed from solvent-based hydrolysis to moisture-cured crosslinking. The crosslinking agent reacts with water or atmospheric moisture to form crosslinks in the polyolefin matrix, achieving both adhesiveness and environmental compatibility without organic solvent emission.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Object-generated harmful factors

If an unreactive hot melt adhesive is used to eliminate organic solvent concerns and improve stability, then environmental responsiveness and storage stability are improved, but curing time is not required and flexibility at low temperature is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveorganic solvent volatilizationVSAvoidflexibility at low temperature
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The adhesive forms a composite structure through crosslinking, where the polyolefin resin matrix provides flexibility and low-temperature performance, while the crosslinked network provides heat resistance and structural stability. This composite approach allows the adhesive to maintain flexibility at low temperatures while achieving the desired performance characteristics.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

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 adhesive composition ensures excellent adhesiveness and heat resistance while maintaining flexibility at low temperatures, preventing cracking and improving handling and storage of precoated skin materials.

Implementation Method 1

an ethylene-based polymer having a melting point of lower than 80° C.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMelting: Melting

Data Source

PatentUS12122944B2Hot melt adhesive composition
Publication Date: 2024.10.22 RESONAC CORP

AI summary

A hot melt adhesive composition contains a 1-butene homopolymer, an ethylene-based polymer having a melting point of lower than 80° C., an α-olefin copolymer having a melting point 80° C. or higher, a tackifying resin, wax, and a liquid softener, in which the ethylene-based polymer includes at least one type of copolymer selected from the group consisting of an ethylene-α-olefin copolymer and an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer.