Imprint Molding Curable Composition for Fine Pattern Filling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Air bubbles easily form in the curable composition during imprint molding of resin molded articles, particularly in the vicinity of fine pattern shapes on the mold, limiting the production of slim and compact optical components.
Innovation Solution
Applying a curable composition with a contact angle of 50° or less on the mold, using micronized particles, conductive substrates with voltage application, wettability improvement treatments, or applying at a slightly higher temperature to inhibit air bubble formation, and incorporating a defoaming process under reduced pressure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If a mold with fine pattern shaped sections is used for imprint molding, then the production of slim and compact optical components is enabled, but air bubbles are easily formed in the curable composition during the molding process
Solution Approach 1:
The mold surface is subjected to a wettability improvement treatment before applying the curable composition. This preliminary action modifies the mold surface properties to enhance curable composition wetting, ensuring complete filling of fine pattern sections without trapping air bubbles during the subsequent molding process.
Solution Approach 2:
The contact angle of the curable composition on the mold surface is controlled to be 50° or less through wettability improvement treatment. This parameter change optimizes the spreading behavior of the curable composition, enabling it to fully penetrate fine pattern shapes while preventing air bubble formation during imprint molding.
2Ease of manufacture
If the curable composition is applied to the mold at normal temperature, then the application process is simple, but air bubbles are easily formed in the curable composition
Solution Approach 1:
The curable composition is applied to the mold at a temperature slightly higher than the mold surface temperature. This temperature parameter change enhances the fluidity and wetting capability of the curable composition, enabling complete filling of fine pattern sections without air bubble formation while maintaining process simplicity.
3Ease of operation
If a curable composition with larger particle size is used, then the composition is easier to handle, but air bubbles are more likely to form during application to fine pattern sections
Solution Approach 1:
The curable composition is micronized to achieve a particle size of 0.5 mm or less. This parameter change enables the composition to flow into and completely fill fine pattern sections without trapping air bubbles, while the composition remains sufficiently handleable for practical application processes.
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
Prevents air bubble formation, enabling the production of resin molded articles and optical components with excellent shape accuracy and fine features, even with complex concavo-convex patterns.
Implementation Method 1
a curable composition having a contact angle of 50° or less on a mold having a pattern shaped section is applied to a portion of the mold uncoated with the curable composition
Implementation Method 2
a curable composition application process including a microparticle application step in which the curable composition is applied such that a particle size of microparticles of the curable composition when adhering to the mold is 0.5 mm or less
Implementation Method 3
a voltage application coating step in which a curable composition coated surface of the conductive substrate and a surface of the mold having the pattern shaped section are arranged so as to face other, and voltage is applied between the conductive substrate and the mold to cause the curable composition applied onto the conductive substrate to contact the portion of the mold uncoated with the curable composition and be applied thereto
Implementation Method 4
a curable composition application process in which the curable composition is applied to the portion of the mold uncoated with the curable composition, the mold having a pattern shaped section that has been subjected to a wettability improvement treatment on a surface
Implementation Method 5
a curable composition application process including a heat application step in which the curable composition having a temperature that is 3 to 7° C. higher than a surface temperature of the mold having the pattern shaped section is applied to a portion of the mold that is uncoated with the curable composition and has a surface temperature at the pattern shaped section of from 35 to 55° C.
Implementation Method 6
incorporating a defoaming process under reduced pressure
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a method for producing a resin molded article through which air bubbles are not easily formed during imprint molding when a curable composition is applied to a mold having a pattern shaped section. The method for producing a resin molded article is a method for producing a resin molded article through imprint molding, the method including: a specific curable composition application process such as the curable composition application process (1) below, in which a curable composition having a contact angle of 50° or less on a mold having a pattern shaped section is applied to a portion of the mold uncoated with the curable composition; and a curing process in which the curable composition applied to the mold is cured to obtain a resin molded article; (1) a curable composition application process including a microparticle application step in which the curable composition is applied such that a particle size of microparticles of the curable composition when adhering to the mold is 0.5 mm or less.